September 19 – The Boston Red Sox get only nine hits in the first two games of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Despite the paltry score, the Red Sox will be looking for a series win on Thursday night as the two teams conclude the series in St. Petersburg, Florida.
In fact, Boston (76-76) fell behind in the eighth inning on Wednesday night to tie the series 2-1. It was the club’s fourth win in five games at the Dome in 2024.
The Red Sox managed just three hits in Tuesday’s 8-3 loss, but tied the game 1-1 on Wednesday on Trevor Story’s sixth-inning home run. They then took advantage of Story’s quick walk in the eighth inning.
His leadoff hit went over the pitcher, resulting in stolen second and third bases. Jarren Duran hit the game-winning hit through the infield.
Tristan Casas had the club’s best performance in two games of the series (2-for-5, home run, double), but Rays left fielder Christopher Morel denied a double on a great leaping catch. The late catch prevented two runs from scoring.
Casas, 24, a native of Pembroke Pines, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale, said he can get the hometown advantage despite being a four-hour drive from his hometown.
“Dad, grandma, aunts, mom, a couple of different cousins, family members — I thought it was just a hug that I needed,” Casas said in a live postgame interview. “I always love having them around.
“I’m always happy to come to Florida and monitor them here, but they put a little pressure on me to do well. I don’t want them to drive all the way to give me eggs.”
Boston has a single game record of 17-12 and a road record of 41-36 this season.
The Rays (74-78) got a career-high 12 strikeouts from starter Ryan Pepiot in six innings on Wednesday but were unable to score on the corners and were tied in the eighth inning.
“(Pepiatt) definitely did his job,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “One and three, you’ve got to find a way to do that.”
The Rays, who fell to 57-32 (.640 winning percentage) against Boston since 2019, will start former Boston right-hander Zack Little in Wednesday’s finale.
Little (7-9, 3.73 ERA) is a member of the 2023 Red Sox class and is in his second season with Tampa Bay despite pitching just three innings in two relief appearances.
The right-hander set season highs in starts (27), wins, games pitched (144 2/3) and strikeouts (127).
Little went 3-2 with a 2.05 ERA in six starts in August and September. The seven-year veteran is 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA in three career starts against Boston, including two starts.
Boston will return team wins leader Brayon Bello (14-7, 4.60), who is 4-2 in his last six starts. On May 22, the Dominican right-hander earned the win in an 8-5 win over the host Rays.
In his three-year career, Bello started in six games against Tampa Bay and was 2–3 with a 6.47 ERA.
–Visual-level media
