Rays @ Red Sox Game Thread/ 13th-16th May 2024

Game 43: Rays at Red Sox lineups and notes
By Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated May 15, 2024, 1 hour ago

It wasn’t pretty, but the Red Sox managed to beat the Rays 5-4 in 12 innings Tuesday night, snapping a six-game home losing streak to Tampa Bay in the process.

The Sox entered the contest having dropped 12 of their previous 14 outings against the Rays, but managed to prevail with Alex Cora’s makeshift lineup that featured Connor Wong as the designated hitter.

The series continues tonight. Tanner Houck gets the start for the Red Sox, searching for his first win since a complete-game shutout against Cleveland on April 17.
Lineups

RAYS (21-22):


Yandy Díaz (R) 1B
Josh Lowe (L) DH
Randy Arozarena (R) LF
Jonathan Aranda (L) 2B
Isaac Paredes (R) 3B
Richie Palacios (L) RF
José Caballero (R) SS
Ben Rortvedt (L) C
Jose Siri (R) CF


Pitching: RHP Taj Bradley (0-1, 1.50 ERA)


RED SOX (22-20):


Jarren Duran (L) CF
Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
Connor Wong (R) C
Rafael Devers (L) 3B
Tyler O'Neill (R) LF
Dominic Smith (L) DH
Garrett Cooper (R) 1B
David Hamilton (L) 2B
Ceddanne Rafaela (R) SS


Pitching: RHP Tanner Houck (3-4, 2.24 ERA)

Time: 7:10 p.m.

TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

Rays vs. Houck: Jonathan Aranda 2-2, Randy Arozarena 0-4, Yandy Díaz 2-5, Josh Lowe 3-3, Richie Palacios 0-1, Isaac Paredes 0-4, Harold Ramírez 1-4, Amed Rosario 1-7


Red Sox vs. Bradley: Rafael Devers 0-5, Jarren Duran 1-3, Reese McGuire 1-2, Connor Wong 0-0

Stat of the day: Houck has recorded a quality start in seven of his eight outings, tied for most in MLB.

Notes: Houck owns a 2.54 ERA in four starts at Fenway Park this season. … He has gone at least 5⅔ innings in each of his eight starts and ranks 5th in MLB in innings pitched. … Bradley, who was 2-0 against the Sox last year, is making his second start following an early stint on the injured list with a strained pectoral. He pitched six innings against the Yankees in his season debut May 10, allowing four hits and one run. … Ceddanne Rafaela leads the Red Sox and all MLB rookies with 23 RBIs. … The Red Sox are 3-2 so far in their stretch of 23 games in 24 days. They are scheduled to play a game on a season-high-tying 13 consecutive days, from May 10-22-22, one of four such streaks (also April 9-21, Aug. 9-21, and Aug. 23 to Sept. 4).

Song of the Day- Radiohead "Fake Plastic Trees"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5h0qHwNrHkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5h0qHwNrHk

Pete Abraham
@peteabe
Fair to say Garrett Whitlock won't need another rehab game. Today for Worcester: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

61/40, 12 swing and misses on 61 pitches, hit 94.8 and retired the 7 of the last 9. (per the @woosox
).
3:45 PM · May 15, 2024
·

It's unreal.  I don't think the Os, the Yankees, the Phillies, or the Dodgers ever lose.

Red Sox rue two errors that tilt tight contest
1:19 AM ADT
Ian Browne

Ian Browne
@ianmbrowne


BOSTON -- If the Red Sox had held the lead and emerged victorious on Wednesday night, the focal point would have been Tanner Houck grinding without his best stuff and throwing a career-high 112 pitches over 5 2/3 innings and again finding a way to keep the opposition at bay.

Instead, it became about other things in a 4-3 loss to the Rays that left Boston needing a win on Thursday to salvage a split of this four-game series and a winning record on this seven-game homestand.

It was about two errors that led to a pair of unearned runs.

It was about an offense that has struggled to score for most of the last two weeks. In a 4-8 stretch that started on May 2, the Boston bats have scored three runs or less in all eight of the defeats, and two or less in six of those losses.

Here is a closer look at key developments from Wednesday:

E-3
In the top of the fourth, with the Sox holding a 1-0 lead, Richie Palacios hit a grounder to first that Garrett Cooper couldn’t field for an error that allowed the tying run to score.

“I probably should have charged it more,” said Cooper. “It took a late hop and it hit something and it kind of bounced the other way. I have made that play 10 million times at first. I played the hop and it ate me up.”

Errors become magnified when a team isn’t scoring. The Red Sox went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.

“It’s huge,” said Cooper. “We lost by one, and without that we’re still playing right now. It’s a huge error and I take full accountability for not charging. It’s just a play I would love to have back. It’s part of the game where I take responsibility for that.”

E-5
This game was hardly all on Cooper. The Red Sox took the lead right back in the bottom of the fourth when Wilyer Abreu smoked a solo shot into the visitors’ bullpen.

Houck exited with two on and two outs in the sixth, and Greg Weissert hoped to strand those two inherited runners. Jose Siri greeted him with a game-tying single to right.

It looked like the game would stay tied when José Caballero subsequently tried to steal third. Catcher Connor Wong had the throw lined up that was going to end the frame. But Rafael Devers missed the catch for an error that extended the inning.

“I think we had the shot [for the out] at third but, still, he was right in front of us and you step off, make him stop or do something else,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “If we get him out or slow him down, we’d probably still be playing right now.”

While Cora admittedly hadn’t seen the replay of Devers missing the catch before talking to the media, Weissert took accountability for his part in the advancement.

“These guys are aggressive on the basepaths and it's important to keep them honest,” Weissert said. “I should have maybe done an inside move to check him and keep him from getting that big a jump.”

That missed out became glaring when Yandy Díaz followed with a two-run single to make it 4-2 Rays. A solo shot by Devers in the bottom of the sixth brought the Red Sox within a run, but neither team scored the rest of the night.

Houck growing by the start
Even though he took the loss on a night his record slipped to 3-5, Houck (2.17 ERA) continues to be one of the best stories of the season for the Red Sox.

He clearly was laboring at times in this one, but the righty still held the Rays to five hits, three walks and three runs (one earned) while striking out seven.

Cora didn’t give much thought to pulling Houck after five innings and 95 pitches.

“They earned it now,” Cora said of a starting rotation that leads the Majors in ERA (2.54).

Houck appreciated the vote of confidence and only wished he could have finished the job.

“Too many walks, too many counts I fell behind. That led to a higher pitch count and led to more traffic on the bases between the three walks, and a hit batter,” Houck said. “Too many free passes from my end, but all in all, I just went out there and grinded. Left everything out there I could.

Through no fault of his own, Brennan Bernardino didn’t make the Red Sox’ Opening Day roster. Now he’s back and he’s one of the best relievers in the game.
By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 15, 2024, 8:47 p.m.


Brennan Bernardino did everything right.

The Red Sox lefthander had a strong season as a rookie in 2023, appearing in 55 games after being claimed off waivers from the Mariners. He had a 3.20 earned run average and stranded 26 of the 30 runners he inherited.

That wasn’t good enough for him. Bernardino gave up his apartment in sunny San Diego and moved to Boston with his wife and son so he could work out at Fenway Park under the supervision of the team staff during the winter.

Bernardino, 32, reported to spring training early and didn’t allow an earned run over seven games and 6⅔ innings.



His reward was being optioned to Triple A Worcester on March 25, three days before the start of the season.

In the interest of maintaining organizational depth, the Sox retained lefthander Joely Rodriguez, who was out of options.

Rodriguez had not pitched well in several years and wasn’t overly impressive in spring training, putting 15 runners on base in eight innings.


But he was a lefthander with an active pulse and major league experience, so the Sox feared Rodriguez would get claimed by another team if they tried to pass him through waivers.

Bernardino was recalled on April 9 when Nick Pivetta went on the injured list. He has since appeared in 16 games and allowed one earned run on six hits over 18 innings and struck out 16.

Bernardino was the winner of Tuesday night’s 5-4, 12-inning victory against the Rays, pitching a scoreless inning.

“He’s been amazing,” manager Alex Cora said before Wednesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Rays.

Cora acknowledged it wasn’t an easy conversation telling Bernardino he was being sent down.

But it was a direct one. Cora explained the team’s thinking and told Bernardino he would almost certainly be back at some point. When a player has options, there’s always the danger of being demoted whether it’s deserved or not.


“I remember one year I had a few good weeks with the Dodgers and they sent me down,” Cora said. “You have to accept it. It’s like I always say, what are you going to do? You have to show up the next day and perform.”

Bernardino was angry at first. But he wasn’t going to waste all the work he put in by being resentful.

“I still needed to get outs and stay healthy,” he said.

Bernardino added a cutter to his pitch mix over the winter, working with new pitching coach Andrew Bailey along with coaching assistant Devin Rose and Triple A pitching coach Dan DeLucia.

“That has been a game-changer against righthanders,” Bernardino said. “Those guys helped me dial it in.”

With the cutter playing a big role, righthanded hitters are 2 for 24 against Bernardino this season with eight strikeouts. That allows Cora to use him in most any situation, not to face a lefty or two.

Bernardino literally found a home in Boston and metaphorically found a home with the Sox.

“Playing here, for a team like the Sox, speaks for itself,” he said. “How fortunate you are to be in a clubhouse that so many legends have come through.

“Plus, what this team means to the city. It’s amazing to be here in Boston and playing for guys like AC and Bailey who are great communicators. It’s a great thing right now.”



Sometimes that communication isn’t what a player wants to hear. But how you react to that message is what matters.

As for Rodriquez, he pitched poorly in 11 appearances for the Sox before he was designated for assignment on April 28. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Worcester, where he hasn’t pitched because of hip inflammation.

Bernardino was downcast when he was left off the Opening Day roster. Now, about seven weeks later, he’s one of the best relievers in the game.

“This is a game where you have to keep your mind in the right place,” he said. “Can you maintain your confidence? Because if you lose that, your lows are going to be a lot lower.

Red Sox's Cooper Criswell set to face former Rays teammates
FLM

The Tampa Bay Rays will look to win the first leg of their season series against the host Boston Red Sox in the conclusion of a four-game series on Thursday.

Timely hitting and a strong pitching performance helped the Rays jump ahead in the series on Wednesday with a 4-3 win. Tampa Bay improved to 8-4 in the past 12 games.

Yandy Diaz's two-run single highlighted a three-run sixth inning that lifted Tampa Bay. From there, the final three Rays relievers compiled scoreless outings to make a winner out of Taj Bradley.

"I'm very happy with the way things are going," Rays center fielder Jose Siri said through a translator. "Hopefully we can just keep it going from there."

Siri went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Wednesday.

Diaz has hit safely in 10 of his past 12 games, posting a .353 average (18-for-51) over that span.

"(Diaz is) hitting the ball harder again and probably a little bit more in the air," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "That ball (on Wednesday) was rifled up the middle. He's a good hitter. It was just a matter of time before he got going."

Zack Littell (2-2, 3.02 ERA) will take the mound for Tampa Bay on Thursday looking to build upon his Saturday win over the New York Yankees. He allowed only two runs on four hits and struck out three across 5 2/3 innings.

Prior to that outing, Littell had not earned a win since his March 30 season debut against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Littell issued two walks to the Yankees, snapping a 28 1/3-inning streak in which he didn't get out a base on balls. In between, he had four consecutive walk-free outings.

In his lone career appearance against the Red Sox, Littell tossed two scoreless innings relief for the Minnesota Twins on June 18, 2019, to record his first major league win.

The Red Sox had an 8-7 hits advantage in the Wednesday game, but two errors, three unearned runs allowed and 12 strikeouts at the plate doomed them.

"We started off well (with a Jarren Duran double) ... and home runs (by Wilyer Abreu and Rafael Devers) were obviously good, but overall, we didn't do much," Boston manager Alex Cora said.

Devers' homer cut Boston's deficit to one in the sixth, but that was as close as the Red Sox would get.

Cora's club has been held to three runs or fewer in nine of its past 12 games while allowing five or fewer in 16 consecutive contests.

Keeping the latter streak alive will fall into the hands of Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.10 ERA). The right-hander is set to make his first career appearance against the Rays -- the team for which he made 11 appearances (one start) between the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Criswell has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his six outings this season, including Saturday against the Washington Nationals when he produced a career-high nine strikeouts across five innings of two-run ball. The Red Sox have won all five of his starts.

"I'm just thankful for the opportunities," Criswell said following his most recent outing. "Like I said in the past, anytime you get the ball, you just want to go out there and give the team the best chance to win."

--Field Level Media





Rays
at
Red Sox
Thursday, at 7:10 PM EST
Foggy
It's expected to be 55° F with a 16% chance of precipitation and 13 MPH wind blowing in in Boston at 7:10 PM EST.
Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com
Mostly cloudy skies and mild temperatures are expected for Thursday night's AL East matchup at Fenway Park. A light breeze blowing in from center field will reduce home run chances slightly in all directions.