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 But the shortstop more than made up for it.
After the error wound up not hurting the Red Sox, Bogaerts doubled
home a run in the bottom of the inning and then hit a grand slam
with two out in the eighth to give Boston a wild 8-7 win over the
Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a four-game series.
"It's just nice to contribute with the team and help us win," said
Bogaerts, who has had a Gold Glove-type season in the field. "I
threw away that ball in the seventh inning and I was really mad."
The win, which moved the Red Sox out of the American League East
cellar past the Rays, came on a night when both teams were
officially eliminated from winning the division -- by virtue of the
Toronto Blue Jays' victory over the New York Yankees. Both Boston
and Tampa Bay are technically alive in the AL wild-card chase.
But even though this game really didn't mean much, it was a crazy
affair that included four replays, two in the top of the first
inning.
The win was Boston's third straight and also moved the Red Sox to
within a game of the third-place Baltimore Orioles.
"We really [came back] two times and the second time was a little
more special because it happened with two outs," said interim
manager Torey Lovullo, 22-13 running the club while John Farrell
receives treatment for lymphoma. "Xander came through with the big
hit, which capped a really big night."
Bogaerts connected on a 2-2 pitch from Brandon Gomes (2-6) for his
first career grand slam, capping his career-high, five-RBI night.
Tampa Bay (72-78) led 3-1 before the Red Sox scored three in the
seventh. The Rays came right back with three in the top of the
eighth before Boston struck again to win its third straight and get
to within five games of the .500 mark for the first time since July
12. The Red Sox (72-77) are a game behind the Baltimore Orioles for
third place.
This is the latest in a season the Rays are in last place since the
Devil Rays did it in 2007.
Left-hander Xavier Cedeno struck out the first two batters in the
bottom of the eighth but then hit center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr.
with a pitch. Gomes came on and gave up a single to right fielder
Mookie Betts before second baseman Dustin Pedroia reached on his
third hit of the night, a single to deep short.
Bogaerts, who now has 78 RBIs on the season, then came through with
his seventh homer.
"I went back and looked at the home run pitch - it was actually a
halfway decent pitch," said Gomes. "He just put a good swing at it."
[to top of second column] |
Right-hander Jean Machi (1-0) got the win after retiring the only
two batters he faced. Left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. recorded his third
save in as many days, his fifth of the season, but allowed a solo
homer to designated hitter Richie Shaffer before ending it.
Outfielder Grady Sizemore, who came on as a pinch hitter in the
seventh inning, doubled home two runs in the three-run eighth that
gave the Rays the lead. Second baseman Logan Forsythe, who had an
RBI single in a three-run first inning, capped the rally with a
sacrifice fly.
"Frustrating loss," said Rays manager Kevin Cash. "Interesting game
to say the least. A lot of good things. A lot of negative things."
Neither starting pitcher was involved in the decision. Tampa Bay's
Chris Archer pitched five innings of one-run ball, throwing 99
pitches and walking five, while Boston's Eduardo Rodriguez allowed
three runs in six innings, all the runs scoring before Rodriguez got
an out.
Outfielder Brandon Guyer led off the game with a home run and paced
the Rays with three hits.
NOTES: Former teammates Pedro Martinez, Tim Wakefield and Jason
Varitek were on the field for pregame ceremonies honoring David
Ortiz's 500th home run. Ortiz reached 500 with a pair in a game at
Tampa Bay on Sept. 12. Tom Brady was one of the video messages
delivered to Ortiz during the game. ... OF Daniel Nava, who was on
the 2013 World Series-winning Red Sox, returned for the first time
and was given a video tribute in the second inning. Before the game,
he said, "I didn't know where to go," when he entered the ballpark.
... Rays LHP Jake McGee, rehabbing from August knee surgery, will
throw a simulated game at Fenway Park on Wednesday. He hopes to be
available to pitch for Tampa Bay on Saturday. ... Rookie LHP Henry
Owens goes for the Red Sox against LHP Matt Moore in Tuesday night's
second game of the four-game series.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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