By Zachary McMahon –
The Boston Red Sox opened their four-game division series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox won the last two games against the Washington Nationals on Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, the Rays had lost three of their last four games.
Romy Gonzalez started his third game at shortstop out of the last four, while Ceddane Rafaela was in center field in this game. Tyler O’Neil started at designated hitter and then moved to right field after Garrett Cooper pinch hit for Wilyer Abreu and struck out in the eighth. Dominic Smith started at first base and went 0-for-4 with three groundouts and a strikeout.
Kutter Crawford started on the mound for the Sox, as he allowed three runs in the first inning from the Rays, as he allowed a total of four earned runs for the first time this season.
The Rays started the first inning scoring when the ball in shallow center field tipped off Rafaela’s glove after a hit from Amed Rosario, which would turn into a two-run triple. Richie Palacios capped off the first with an RBI single to center field that scored Rosario to make it 3-0.
However, the Sox quickly tied the game at three with Tyler O’Neil’s 10th homer of the season where it was a three-run shot over the Green Monster.
Jose Siri brought home the go-ahead run off a sacrifice fly that scored Jose Caballero, who reached on a double in the fourth to make it 4-3.
The Rays would shut down the Sox for the rest of the game as Rosario brought home an insurance run off Greg Weissert in the eighth inning. Jason Adam struck out three straight batters to end the game as Smith, Vaughn Grissom, and Gonzalez all struck out after O’Neil walked in the ninth, as the Rays would win 5-3.
The BoSox have now lost seven out of their last ten games as they are now just one game over the .500 mark with a 21-20 record for third place in the AL East, while the Rays are only a half a game behind them with a 21-21 record.
The Sox will play the second game of the series on Tuesday night as Nick Pivetta will be getting his second start since coming off the injured list last Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. 7:10 pm is the first pitch on NESN/NESN360.