Things got a little…confusing late, but the Rays hold on to take huge game three from Boston.
ST. PETERSBURG – It’s been a rough couple months for the Rays. Dropping the first two against the Red Sox didn’t help matters. On Wednesday, they sent Charlie Morton to the hill to try and stop the bleeding.
Their Cy Young candidate didn’t disappoint.
Sox strike early – again
Rafeal Devers singled home two runs in the third off Morton. Boston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. In every game of the series the Sox had a lead early.
Finally, the Rays would tip the scales.
Tommy Pham deposited his 16th home run of the season into the left field corner off David Price to lead off the fourth. It was the twelfth solo home run by Pham and the Rays first hit of the game.
Rays end a long drought…
After Mike Brosseau singled to lead off the fifth and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Joey Wendle would single him home, tying the game. Guillermo Heredia would double home Wendle on the very next pitch giving the Rays their first lead in 22 innings.
Masterful Morton
Morton would dominate the Sox striking out 11 in seven innings of work. He would hand over the one-run lead to the bullpen for the remaining six outs. The seven innings were his longest outing since going seven against the Orioles on July 2nd.
#Rays Charlie Morton reflects on his 12th win of the season today v #RedSox. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/jmFb3Titlb
— The Scrum Sports (@TheScrumSports) July 24, 2019
Who’s on first??
Remember that ‘ol double switch move Kevin Cash does once in a while? Welp – he did it again today. Adam Kolarek moved to first base with one out in the eighth. Chaz Roe took over on the mound to get Mookie Betts to fly out to left field. Kolarek then went back to the hill and Nate Lowe took over at first base.
Brilliant.
A disruption in the force
It seems Cash’s moves in the eighth inning confused Angel Hernandez and his umpire crew. The Red Sox played the remainder of the ballgame under protest. The issue was where the pitcher’s spot would hit in the lineup as well as where the first baseman would hit. If the Red Sox win their protest, the game will be re-started from the time of the protest at another point this season.
Makes sense, right?
Pagan slams the door
Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect ninth inning recording his seventh save of the season. The Rays salvage the third of three and remain alone in second place in the AL East, dropping Boston a game back. They jump to 1.5 games back in the wild car standings behind Oakland.
UP NEXT:
The Rays are off Thursday before heading on the road. The road trip starts in Toronto Friday night for three before facing these same Red Sox in Boston early next week.
