AL Division Series: Rays-Red Sox Game 2 updates
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Enrique Hernandez had a record-tying five hits and was one of five Boston players to homer as the Red Sox stomped the Rays 14-6 in Game 2 of the American League Division Series Friday at Tropicana Field.
The Red Sox had 20 hits in tying the best-of-five series at one game apiece as it heads to Boston for Games 3-4 Sunday and Monday at Fenway Park.
Solo home runs from Xander Bogaerts, Alex Verdugo and Hernandez allowed the Red Sox to rally from an early three-run deficit and tie the game at 5 before J.D. Martinez’s three-run shot to straightaway centerfield off Matt Wisler gave Boston an 8-5 lead in the fifth.
It was the Sox’s first lead since they reached Rays starter Shane Baz for two runs in the top of the first.
Kyle Schwarber drew a leadoff walk and Hernandez doubled to put runners at second and third with no outs. Bogaerts drove home Schwarber with the Sox’s first run of the series with a single to right, and Verdugo followed with a single to center to score Hernandez.
The Rays scored five runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Jordan Luplow’s grand slam, to turn the two-run deficit into a three-run lead.
Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco singled and Nelson Cruz drew a walk to load the bases with one out against Boston starter Chris Sale, who lasted just one inning. After Yandy Diaz singled to drive in Arozarena, Luplow jumped on a high fastball and drove it into the leftfield seats, giving Tampa Bay a 5-2 lead.
After Martinez put the Sox back ahead in the fifth, Ji-Man Choi homered in the sixth to bring the Rays back to within 8-6, but the Red Sox got the run back in the seventh on Christian Vazquez’s RBI single down the first-base line. Rafael Devers extended Boston’s lead to 11-6 with a two-run homer off Michael Wacha in the eighth.
Hernandez made it 14-6 with a two-run single in the ninth, his fifth hit of the game, including four for extra bases, in six at-bats. Hernandez joined Hideki Matsui (2004, ALCS Game 3) as the only players in MLB history with five hits, including four extra-base hits, in a postseason game.
Baz went 2-1/3 innings in his postseason debut, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk, striking out two.
Here’s how it happened:
Ninth inning
Red Sox at bat (Michael Wacha pitching)
J.D Martinez doubles to leftfield. Danny Santana pinch-runs for Martinez
Hunter Renfroe singles to rightfield, moving Santana to third. Boston has runners at the corners with no outs.
Christian Vazquez beats out an infield single between shortstop and third base. Santana scores. Red Sox 12, Rays 6.
Christian Arroyo strikes out swinging
Both runners advance a base on a wild pitch
Bobby Dalbec strikes out swinging on a changeup after a 10-pitch at-bat
Enrique Hernandez singles to right centerfield, driving in two more runs with his fifth hit of the game. Red Sox 14, Rays 6.
(JT Chargois relieves Michael Wacha)
Rafael Devers lines out to rightfielder Manuel Margot
Rays at bat (Matt Barnes pitching)
Ji-Man Choi singles to right centerfield
Austin Meadows strikes out swinging
Francisco Mejia draws a walk on four pitches, giving the Rays two on with one out.
Kevin Kiermaier hits into a fielder’s choice, first baseman Bobby Dalbec retiring Mejia at second base.
Randy Arozarena draws a walk, loading the bases
Wander Franco hits into a forceout, ending the game.
(Rays lose 14-6)
Eighth inning
Red Sox at bat (Michael Wacha pitching)
Kyle Schwarber strikes out swinging
Enrique Hernandez doubles down the left-field line, his fourth hit of the game and third extra-base hit.
Rafael Devers homers to straightaway center, scoring Hernandez. Red Sox 11, Rays 6.
Xander Bogaerts strikes out swinging
Alex Verdugo grounds out to first baseman Ji-Man Choi.
Rays at bat (Hansel Robles pitching)
Wander Franco strikes out swinging
Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging
Nelson Cruz reaches on an infield single
Yandy Diaz flies out to Enrique Hernandez in right centerfield
(Rays trail 11-6 after eight innings)
Seventh inning
Red Sox at bat (Michael Wacha pitching)
Alex Verdugo beats out an infield single, shortstop Wander Franco nearly making a spectacular to retire him
J.D. Martinez singles to rightfield, giving Boston runners at first and second with no outs.
Hunter Renfroe hits into a double play, Wander Franco to Brandon Lowe to Ji-Man Choi. Verdugo moves to third.
Christian Vazquez bounces a single down the first-base line to score Vazquez. Red Sox 9, Rays 6.
Christian Arroyo pops out to catcher Mike Zunino on a bunt attempt
Rays at bat (Ryan Brasier pitching)
Mike Zunino strikes out swinging
Kevin Kiermaier strikes out swinging
Randy Arozarena strikes out swinging
(Rays trail 9-6 after seven innings)
Sixth inning
Red Sox at bat (David Robertson pitching)
Christian Arroyo flies out to rightfielder Manuel Margot
Kyle Schwarber strikes out swinging
Enrique Hernandez doubles high off the wall in deep centerfield
Rafael Devers draws a walk
Xander Bogaerts pops out to first baseman Ji-Man Choi in foul territory
Rays at bat (Tanner Houck pitching)
Nelson Cruz flies out to leftfielder Alex Verdugo, who reaches over the short porch in foul territory to make the catch.
Yandy Diaz flies out to rightfielder Hunter Renfroe
Ji-Man Choi homers to leftfield. The play goes under umpire review, but there was no fan interference. Red Sox 8, Rays 6.
Manuel Margot flies out to centerfielder Enrique Hernandez
(Rays trail 8-6 after six innings)
Fifth inning
Red Sox at bat (Collin McHugh pitching)
Enrique Hernandez homers to left field on a hanging breaking ball, tying the game. Rays 5, Red Sox 5.
Rafael Devers draws a walk
(Matt Wisler relieves Collin McHugh)
Xander Bogaerts singles to leftfield, putting runners at first and second with no outs.
Verdugo flies out to Manuel Margot in deep rightfield, moving Devers to third.
J.D. Martinez hits a go-ahead, three-run homer to straightaway centerfield. Red Sox 8, Rays 5.
Hunter Renfroe strikes out swinging
Christian Vazquez grounds out to third baseman Yandy Diaz
Rays at bat (Tanner Houck pitching)
Kevin Kiermaier flies out to leftfielder Alex Verdugo
Randy Arozarena grounds out to third baseman Rafael Devers, with Kyle Schwarber making a nice scoop at first
Wander Franco bounces a single into centerfield, becoming the Rays’ first baserunner since the first inning
Brandon Lowe grounds out to second baseman Christian Arroyo in short rightfield
(Rays trail 8-5 after five innings)
Fourth inning
Red Sox at bat (Collin McHugh pitching)
Christian Vazquez strikes out swinging on an 82 mph slider
Christian Arroyo strikes out swinging, catcher Mike Zunino throwing to first baseman Ji-Man Choi to complete the out.
Kyle Schwarber grounds out to Wander Franco, who had been shifted over to second base
Rays at bat (Tanner Houck pitching)
Ji-Man Choi grounds out to Xander Bogaerts shifted to second base
Manuel Margot strikes out swinging on a 94 mph sinker
Mike Zunino bounces out to third baseman Rafael Devers
(Rays lead 5-4 after four innings)
Third inning
Red Sox at bat (Shane Baz pitching)
Rafael Devers flies out to deep centerfield, Kevin Kiermaier making a leaping catch against the wall to Rob Devers of an extra-base hit.
Xander Bogaerts homers to leftfield. Rays 5, Red Sox 3.
(Collin McHugh replaces Shane Baz)
Alex Verdugo homers to rightfield on a cut fastball. Rays 5, Red Sox 4.
J.D. Martinez flies out to rightfielder Manuel Margot
Hunter Renfroe pops out to Randy Arozarena in shallow leftfield
Rays at bat (Tanner Houck pitching)
Brandon Lowe strikes out looking on a backdoor slider
Nelson Cruz strikes out swinging on an 85 mph slider
Yandy Diaz strikes out swinging on a 93 mph sinker
(Rays lead 5-4 after three innings)
Second inning
Red Sox at bat (Shane Baz pitching)
Christian Vazquez singles to rightfield
Christian Arroyo grounds out to third baseman Yandy Diaz, advancing Vazquez to second.
Kyle Schwarber strikes out swinging on an 84 mph curveball
Enrique Hernandez grounds out to shortstop Wander Franco
Rays at bat (Tanner Houck pitching)
Kevin Kiermaier flies out to Enrique Hernandez at the warning track in centerfield
Randy Arozarena strikes out swinging, losing his bat while flailing at a 84 mph slider
Wander Franco lines out to Alex Verdugo in leftfield
(Rays lead 5-2 after two innings)
First inning
Red Sox at bat (Shane Baz pitching)
Kyle Schwarber draws a game-opening walk
Enrique Hernandez doubles down the third-base line, putting runners at second and third with no outs.
Rafael Devers strikes out swinging on a 98 mph fastball
Xander Bogaerts b
ounces a single into rightfield, scoring Schwarber and moving Hernandez to third. Boston has runners at the corners with one out. Red Sox 1, Rays 0.
Alex Verdugo lines a single to center, scoring Hernandez and moving Bogaerts to second. Red Sox still have two on with just one out. Red Sox 2, Rays 0.
J.D. Martinez singles into rightfield off the end of his bat, loading the bases with one out.
Hunter Renfroe grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning, Wander Franco to Brandon Lowe to Jordan Luplow.
Rays at bat (Chris Sale pitching)
Randy Arozarena singles sharply over the glove of shortstop Xander Bogaerts into left centerfield
Wander Franco goes the other way, single into rightfield to put runners at first and second with no outs.
Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging on a 79 mph slider
Nelson Cruz draws a walk on four pitches, loading the bases with one out
Yandy Diaz singles to rightfield, scoring Arozarena. Hunter Renfroe keeps Franco at third with a strong throw to the plate. Red Sox 2, Rays 1.
Wow! Jordan Luplow drives a 94 mph four-seam fastball into the leftfield seats for a grand slam, and the Rays suddenly have a three run lead. Rays 5, Red Sox 2.
Manuel Margot flies out to rightfielder Hunter Renfroe
Mike Zunino strikes out swinging on a breaking ball
(Rays lead 5-2 after one inning)
Lineup cards
Pregame scouting report
It is no longer “The Little Ballclub That Could,” the small-market overachieving team that slipped wide-eyed into the postseason, the surprise guest who makes for a feel-good story today but is quickly forgotten tomorrow.
No, the Rays served notice Thursday that they are the team to beat this postseason, plain and simple.
Starting pitcher Shane McClanahan was virtually unhittable for five innings and, outside of a one-out, bases-loaded jam that J.P. Feyereisen escaped in the eighth, three relievers locked down the rest of the Rays’ 5-0 victory over the Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
Randy Arozarena conjured memories of his spectacular 2020 postseason by reaching base three times and crushing a Nick Pivetta pitch 397 feet into the leftfield seats, then added a new twist by stealing home for the Rays’ final run — the first straight steal of home plate in the postseason since Jackie Robinson in 1955.
Rookie Wander Franco proved the stage isn’t too big for him with two doubles and a run batted in, while Nelson Cruz showed this lineup can slug with the best of them with a home run off the C-ring in centerfield.
And outfielder and Seminole native Brett Phillips continued to show that he is MLB’s best sideshow, cheering on his teammates from the dugout after being left off the division series roster.
Which brings us to Game 2 of the best-of-five series tonight at Tropicana Field.
The Rays have a chance to move within a win of clinching the series before a game is played in Boston when rookie Shane Baz (2-0) faces Lakeland native Chris Sale (5-1) tonight at 7:02 p.m. (FS1).
In an unusual twist, Tampa Bay is sticking with the same batting order/fielding setup from Game 1 after using 158 different lineups during the regular season.
The Red Sox have designated hitter J.D. Martinez in their lineup for the first time in the series. Martinez missed Thursday’s game with an ankle issue.
Boston also made a change to its roster, adding right-handed pitcher Matt Barnes after Garrett Richards suffered a hamstring strain during Game 1.
Pregame scene
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