Cerise Sox

4 takeaways as the Red Sox, short-handed due to COVID-19, autumn to the Rays

"Information technology'due south a lot tougher today than yesterday, and yesterday was tougher than the day before."

Red Sox Rays takeaways
Boston Red Sox'due south Nick Pivetta pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball Monday. AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Here are the takeaways, as the Reddish Sox — dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak — couldn't overcome the Rays in a six-1 loss that likely eliminated any last hopes of competing for the sectionalisation.

The Big Movie

Both teams got on the lath early on — the Rays on a monstrous solo homer in the showtime past Brandon Lowe, the Red Sox with an answering solo homer by Bobby Dalbec in the peak of the second as Dalbec'due south hot streak connected.

From in that location, nonetheless, the Reddish Sox bats went stagnant and the Rays continued to employ pressure. Austin Meadows singled in the get-ahead run in the 3rd. Lowe collection in a run in the fourth with another single. The Rays tacked on a 4th on a fielding mistake by Rafael Devers in the sixth. Wander Franco's 2-run single in the eighth was superfluous as the Rays cruised late.

Star of the Game

Brandon Lowe — 2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, homer, two walks

Lowe's stat line would have been enough to land here even if y'all replaced his walks with strikeouts, but the walks might have been the most impressive part of his night: Red Sox pitchers were visibly terrified of giving him anything to striking and twice opted entirely not to practice so.

What Information technology Ways

Before the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked if beginning identify in the AL East is nevertheless accessible.

"We'll evidence up today, play a good game, win a game, and if we tin do that four days straight, you lot tin can ask me that question over again on Friday," Cora said.

Monday'due south result likely means that question won't exist asked over again. The Ruby-red Sox lead the A's by two games for the terminal spot.

Takeaways

1. After the game, Cora merely looked weary afterward dealing with a twenty-four hours of test results and shuffling lineups.

"What Ron [Roenicke, onetime director] did last year was astonishing — amazing," Cora said. "To deal with everything they had to go through, the manner he did information technology, information technology was great. I respect that guy, and respect everybody that was involved in this on a personal level. It'southward a challenging one."

The Red Sox received bad news midway through the game: Reliever Josh Taylor is an additional close contact for the COVID outbreak. Cora confirmed that Matt Barnes tested positive after the game as well. First-base coach Tom Goodwin is a close contact, and coach Ramon Vazquez tested positive.

"It's a lot tougher today than yesterday, and yesterday was tougher than the day earlier, and hopefully tomorrow we're okay," Cora said. "Hopefully. That's what I pray for, for this to be the end of it, and so it's all most baseball and making plays, and putting the ball in play, pitching, all that stuff. This part is non comfy, it's not easy."

2. The Red Sox yet have not reached the 85-pct vaccination threshold set forth past the MLB.

Asked whether that was a business organization all twelvemonth, Cora said it was a problem for the forepart office.

"It was something nosotros've been talking near the whole time," Cora said. "Merely at the end, it'south a personal choice and we are where we're at percentage-wise. Everybody knows it, and nosotros tin can't hide that fact, but all the same, we were doing a bully job. Information technology happened now, and nosotros take to go along going."

The Ruddy Sox went from May xv to Aug. 3 without a positive exam.

3. On a night when baseball felt secondary, a game still took place, and two primal errors hurt the Scarlet Sox (although the pain might be dulled a bit by the knowledge that the offense wouldn't accept capitalized anyhow).

The first happened in the bottom of the fourth, when pitcher Nick Pivetta bounced a ball in forepart of Christian Vazquez. Mike Zunino struck out swinging on the play, simply the ball bounded away from Vazquez which allowed the Rays to stay alive. Lowe collection in a run with a single on the next at-bat.

The 2nd was a sixth-inning fielding fault by Rafael Devers, who was forced to eat a grounder with the bases loaded that might take been either a double play or a strength out at the plate. Instead, a run scored. Hansel Robles — who was on target — shut down the next three batters without assuasive another run, but the Reddish Sox trailed 4-1 heading into the seventh inning with very little offensive momentum.

four. The Red Sox even so don't know who will pitch Tuesday.

"Y'all guys will know tomorrow," Cora said. "Sorry most that, that'due south where nosotros're at. I would love to give you more."

Whichever Red Sox players are available volition have on the Rays again on Tuesday at 7:x p.m.

Chat

This give-and-take has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com