The Red Sox headed down to Tampa for the first games at the Trop since Hurricane Irma. The Sox had Chris Sale on the mound, but he wasn’t the dominate ace we wanted him to be. Sale made it into the 6th inning, but he gave up 4 runs and looked pretty shaky. The Sox looked primed to lose this game, but then they rallied for 3 runs in the 9th to force extra innings. The game went on and on and on, but the Sox finally got the win when they shockingly scored 7 runs in the 15th.
The Sox got Chris Sale a single run in the top of the 1st when Benintendi hit an RBI single to score Bogaerts. Sox 1-0. The Rays took no time tying it up though when Longoria hit an RBI single off of Sale in the bottom of the 1st. Sox 1-1. The Sox took the lead again in the top of the 4th when Moreland hit a solo home run. The lead was once again short lived as Ramos hit a 2 run homer off of Sale in the bottom of the 4th. Sox 2-3. Sale gave up another home run in the 6th when Hechavarria hit a solo bomb off of him. Sox 2-4.
Sale allowed a triple in the 6th to signal the end of his outing. He seemed pretty upset with Farrell for taking him out, but I can’t blame Farrell. Sale just didn’t have it last night. Austin Maddox came out and got the final out of the inning and then headed back out to pitch a scoreless 7th. Matt Barnes came out for the 8th inning and put the Sox in an even deeper hole when he gave up a solo home run to Ramos. Sox 2-5. Abad finished out the 8th inning without allowing any more runs to score.
The Rays closer came to the mound in the 9th with a 3 run lead. That should be enough for any closer, especially Colome who has been pretty dominant this year. Devers got on by way of an error and Moreland came home on the play to pull the Sox within 2. Leon hit an RBI infield single and then Bogaerts hit an RBI single of his own to tie the game. Benintendi ground out to end the inning, but the game was tied and the Sox now had life. Sox 5-5. Kimbrel pitched a scoreless 9th to send the game to extras and then the rest would be in the hands of a stacked bullpen.
Addison Reed came out of the pen and pitched a scoreless 10th inning. Joe Kelly came out of the pen next and he pitched three scoreless innings to keep the Sox in the game. The Sox offense kept getting scoring opportunities, but they just couldn’t get the runner to cross the plate. The Sox finally did get a run in the top of the 14th when Rafael Devers hit an RBI single to score Betts. Sox 6-5. Brandon Workman came out of the pen with a lead. Workman wouldn’t be able to hold it though as he gave up a solo home run to Kiermaier. The game was once again tied. Sox 6-6.
The Sox didn’t let that get them down though and got right back at it in the top of the 15th. The Sox would end up scoring 7 runs in the inning and turning an epic extra innings game into a blowout. Pedroia hit into a fielder’s choice and then Bradley Jr. came home by way of an error. Benintendi and Moreland both hit RBI singles, Devers hit an RBI groundout, Marrero hit a 2 run RBI double and then the Sox finished off the inning with an RBI single from Bogaerts. The Sox went from wasting opportunities left and right to putting the game away in epic fashion. Blaine Boyer came out of the pen and got the Sox the three outs they needed to get the win. The game lasted 6 hours and 5 minutes, but a win is a win.
Red Sox 13 Rays 6 F/15 BOXSCORE
WP: Workman (1-1) LP: Pruitt (7-5)
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