Rays 4, Red Sox 5
Record: 58-47
Attendance: 24,161
Having Matt Duffy back at third, two-thirds of the way into the season, was a reminder of how much better he is than the revolving door of third basemen used by manager Kevin Cash this season. He's a pro, offensively and defensively.
But he is also fragile, losing all of the 2017 season to injuries. In 2018 he shined, playing in 132 games, hitting .294 over 503 at-bats. This year, however, he has had foot and hamstring problems until Tuesday night's debut performance when he went 2 for 3 with a walk. It was a pleasure watching him go about his business.
Of course, he could not change the Rays drift to the middle of the pack and out of post-season contention. Yonny Chirinos wild-pitched a run in in the first then allowed a run-producing single. In the bottom of the third, Travis d'Arnaud homered with a man on to tie the game. The Red Sox took a one-run lead on a Christian Vazquez home run off Colin Poche. Diego Castillo had a disappointing outing, surrendering two runs on two hits and a walk without registering a single out in the eighth.
Losing 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Rays put on a rally that fell short by a run. This wasn't the worst game the Rays have lost during June and July, but in the end they lost their seventh of their last ten.
And they need so much help that it seems unlikely any deals that can be made before the July 31 trade deadline can solve the problems that have been showing themselves nightly over the last two months.
Perhaps Charlie Morton will be able to stop the bleeding tomorrow.
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