AL Division Series: Rays-Red Sox Game 4 updates
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The Rays rallied from a five-run deficit to tie Game 4 of the American League Division Series before losing 6-5 on Enrique Hernandez’s walkoff sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Red Sox clinched the best-of-five series three games to one and advanced to the ALCS, where they will play the Astros or White Sox.
For the Rays, the loss marked the end of a season in which they set a franchise record with 100 victories, won the American League East division and made the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
Boston put runners at the corners with one out in the ninth after Christian Vazquez singled off J.P. Feyereisen and pinch-hitter Travis Shaw reached on an infield single. That brought up Hernandez, who flew out to Austin Meadows in deep leftfield, and pinch-runner Danny Santana easily beat the throw to the plate.
Rafael Devers’ three-run homer off Shane McClanahan highlighted a five-run third for the Sox, who jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Alex Verdugo drove in Xander Bogaerts with the fourth run of the inning with a double high off the Green Monster in leftfield, and J.D. Martinez followed with a single off the wall to bring home Verdugo.
Meadows got one run back for the Rays with an RBI groundout in the fifth, driving home Jordan Luplow, who had doubled.
Wander Franco’s two-run home run in the sixth inning brought the Rays back to within 5-3. Tampa Bay tied it in the eighth on Mike Zunino’s RBI double and Randy Arozarena’s run-scoring single.
Here’s how it happened:
Ninth inning
(Rays at bat, Garrett Whitlock pitching)
Ji-Man Choi grounds out to first baseman Garrett Whitlock
Yandy Diaz grounds out to second baseman Christian Arroyo
Austin Meadows flies out to leftfielder Alex Verdugo
(Red Sox at bat, J.P. Feyereisen pitching)
Christian Vazquez grounds a single to leftfield
Christian Arroyo sacrifices Vazquez to second base
(Travis Shaw pinch-hits for Bobby Dalbec)
Travis Shaw reaches on an infield single, advancing Vazquez to third
(Danny Santana pinch-runs for Vazquez)
Shaw steals second
Enrique Hernandez hits a game-winning sacrifice fly.
(Red Sox win 6-5, clinch the series 3-1)
Eighth inning
(Rays at bat, Ryan Brasier pitching)
Mike Zunino doubles to centerfield
Kevin Kiermaier doubles to rightfield, scoring Zunino. Red Sox 5, Rays 4.
Randy Arozarena singles to rightfield, scoring Kiermaier. Arozarena advance to second on the throw home. Rays 5, Red Sox 5.
(Garrett Whitlock relieves Ryan Brasier)
Wander Franco flies out to rightfielder Hunter Renfroe
Brandon Lowe grounds out to pitcher Garrett Whitlock
Nelson Cruz grounds out to third baseman Rafael Devers
(Red Sox at bat, Pete Fairbanks pitching)
Alex Verdugo reaches on a two-base throwing error by shortstop Wander Franco
J.D. Martinez flies out to rightfielder Randy Arozarena
Hunter Renfroe flies out to Kevin Kiermaier in right centerfield. Kiemaier throws out Verdugo trying to advance to third. The call is upheld following a replay review.
(Rays and Red Sox tied 5-5 after eight innings)
Seventh inning
(Rays at bat, Josh Taylor pitching)
Ji-Man Choi strikes out swinging
Yandy Diaz flies out to centerfielder Enrique Hernandez
Austin Meadows grounds out to second baseman Christian Arroyo
(Red Sox at bat, Josh Fleming pitching)
Kyle Schwarber grounds out to first baseman Ji-Man Choi
Enrique Hernandez singles to leftfield
Rafael Devers singles to centerfield, moving Hernandez to third. Boston has runners at the corners with one out.
(Pete Fairbanks relieves Josh Fleming)
Xander Bogaerts hits into a double play, Yandy Diaz to Brandon Lowe to Ji-Man Choi.
(Red Sox lead Rays 5-3 after seven innings)
Sixth inning
(Rays at bat, Eduardo Rodriguez pitching)
Kevin Kiermaier doubles to leftfield
(Tanner Houck relieves Eduardo Rodriguez)
Randy Arozarena flies out to Enrique Hernandez in deep centerfield, moving Kiermaier to third.
Wander Franco hits a two-run home run to straightaway centerfield. Red Sox 5, Rays 3.
Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging
Nelson Cruz flies out to Hunter Renfroe in rightfield
(Red Sox at bat, Luis Patino pitching)
J.D. Martinez bloops a single into centerfield
Hunter Renfroe strikes out swinging
Christian Vazquez strikes out swinging
Christian Arroyo grounds out to third baseman Yandy Diaz
(Red Sox lead Rays 5-3 after six innings)
Fifth inning
(Rays at bat, Eduardo Rodriguez pitching)
Jordan Luplow lines a double off third baseman Rafael Devers’ glove into leftfield
Yandy Diaz flies out to centerfielder Enrique Hernandez. Luplow moves to third.
Austin Meadows grounds out to first baseman Kyle Schwarber, scoring Luplow. Red Sox 5, Rays 1.
Mike Zunino grounds out to first baseman Kyle Schwarber
(Red Sox at bat, Andrew Kittredge pitching)
Rafael Devers flies out to Austin Meadows in left centerfield
Xander Bogaerts flies out to rightfielder Randy Arozarena
Alex Verdugo flies out to leftfielder Austin Meadows on the warning track
(Red Sox lead Rays 5-1 after five innings)
Fourth inning
(Rays at bat, Eduardo Rodriguez pitching)
Randy Arozarena singles to rightfield
Wander Franco pops out to first baseman Kyle Schwarber
Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging on an 85 mph changeup
Nelson Cruz pops out to second baseman Christian Arroyo
(Red Sox at bat, Andrew Kittredge pitching)
Christian Arroyo grounds out to shortstop Wander Franco
Kyle Schwarber pops out to second baseman Brandon Lowe in short rightfield
Enrique Hernandez grounds out to second baseman Brandon Lowe
(Red Sox leads Rays 5-0 after four innings)
Third inning
(Rays at bat, Eduardo Rodriguez pitching)
Austin Meadows strikes out swinging on an 82 mph slider after a 17(!)-pitch at-bat
Mike Zunino pops out to second baseman Christian Arroyo
Kevin Kiermaier grounds out to third baseman Rafael Devers
(Red Sox at bat, Shane McClanahan pitching)
Christian Vazquez singles to centerfield
Christian Arroyo flies out to rightfielder Randy Arozarena
Kyle Schwarber draws a walk
Enrique Hernandez flies out to Austin Meadows in shallow leftfield
Rafael Devers hits a three-run home run to straightaway centerfield, scoring Vazquez and Schwarber. Red Sox 3, Rays 0.
Xander Bogaerts singles to leftfield
Alex Verdugo doubles high off the Green Monster in leftfield, scoring Bogaerts. Red Sox 4, Rays 0.
J.D. Martinez singles high off the leftfield wall, driving home Verdugo. Red Sox 5, Rays 0.
(JT Chargois replaces Shane McClanahan)
Hunter Renroe doubles to centerfield, moving Martinez to third.
Christian Vazquez strikes out swinging
(Red Sox lead Rays 5-0 after three innings)
Second inning
(Rays at bat, Eduardo Rodriguez pitching)
Nelson Cruz strikes out looking at a 94 mph sinker
Jordan Luplow strikes out swinging on an 89 mph changeup, the fourth straight strikeout for Eduardo Rodriguez
Yandy Diaz grounds out to third baseman Rafael Devers
(Red Sox at bat, Collin McHugh pitching)
Alex Verdugo flies out to centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier at the warning track
J.D. Martinez lines out to centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier, who makes a sliding catch
Hunter Renfroe flies out to centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier at the warning track
(Rays and Red Sox tied 0-0 after two innings)
First inning
(Rays at bat, Eduardo Rodriguez pitching)
Randy Arozarena drives a pitch to the gap in right centerfield, but rightfielder Hunter Renfroe chases it down and stretches to make the catch
Wander Franco fouls a pitch off his left leg, then strikes out looking on a pitch that appeared to be above the strke zone
Brandon Lowe strikes out swinging on a 94 mph fastball
(Red Sox at bat, Collin McHugh pitching)
Kyle Schwarber grounds out to shortstop Wander Franco
Enrique Hernandez flies out to rightfielder Randy Arozarena, who makes a sliding catch
Rafael Devers lines a single to rightfield
Xander Bogaerts reaches on an infield single, beating Wander Franco’s throw to first. Devers moves to second. A replay review reverses the call on the field, and Bogaerts is ruled out, ending the inning.
(Rays and Red Sox tied 0-0 after one inning)
Lineup cards
Pregame scouting report
Did the Rays lose Game 3 Sunday at Fenway Park, or have the game taken away from them?
Were they the victims of bad calls on the basepaths or missed opportunities at the plate? Were they robbed by the rulebook or sabotaged by their suspect starting pitching?
Doesn’t matter any more.
All that does at this point is winning the next two games in the American League Division Series.
Because if the Rays can’t immediately put Sunday’s dispiriting 13-inning loss behind them, their season will be over as soon as tonight. Down two games to one in the best-of-five series, they need a win tonight in Boston to force winner-take-all Game 5 Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
The Rays had to scramble to put together a pitching plan after using nine pitchers in Game 3. Collin McHugh will serve as the opener, likely to work two-three innings. Michael Wacha is expected to cover the bulk innings. After that, it’s anybody’s guess.
The Red Sox will counter with Eduardo Rodriguez, who didn’t get through the second inning of the Rays’ 5-0 victory Thursday in Game 1.
The Rays are sticking with their lineup, despite prolonged slumps by second Brandon Lowe (0-for-14, 6 strikeouts), catcher Mike Zunino (1-for-12, 6 strikeouts) and designated hitter Nelson Cruz (3-for-14, 4 strikeouts).
Will they get right tonight?
If they don’t, there might not be a tomorrow.
Pregame scene
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