GAME #115 - TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021 - TAMPA BAY RAYS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[markj]

7:10PM Eastern

Red Sox

Eduardo Rodriguez (L)

1. Enrique Hernandez (R) 2B
2. Jarren Duran (L) CF
3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B
5. J.D. Martinez (R) LF
6. Kevin Plawecki (R) DH
7. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF
8. Christian Vazquez (R) C
9. Franchy Cordero (L) 1B

Rays

Luis Patino (R)

1. Randy Arozarena (R) RF
2. Nelson Cruz (R) DH
3. Wander Franco (S) SS
4. Yandy Diaz (R) 3B
5. Austin Meadows (L) LF
6. Jordan Luplow (R) 1B
7. Manuel Margot (R) CF
8. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B
9. Mike Zunino (R) C

Gametime Temp: 73°F
Chance of Precip: 3%

[markj]

This series will be the elevator. I'm thinking we're heading for the ground floor, just above the O's in the basement. But I hope I'm wrong.

[longgame]

I hadn't dared look at the standings until today.  In the last 10 games we've lost 6 games to all three teams that were trailing us - TB, TOR and NYY all have gone 8-2 while the Sox went 2-8.  It's bad enough that they're having such a bad stretch but it's unusual to have 3 other teams all surge at the same time.

The Sox really have created a mess for themselves.  Don't know much about Pastino but this is an obvious game for the Sox to go out and right the ship, if they are able to. 

[Sea Dog 23]

The Rays announced that their starter tomorrow night, Wed (Yarbrough) was sent to the IL.  That would be cringeworthy for some teams, but the Rays probably have 8-10 other quality pitchers in Tampa or the Durham farm  to fill in nicely.

[Bill-806]

Looks to me that we have our backs to the wall, in more ways than one !!!!  One game at a time !!!! iono iono iono iono rofl rofl rofl rofl

[longgame]

Eddy sharp early on.  Lenny DiNardo pointed out how he was working at a good pace, just as I was thinking the same thing.  He does a nice job on analysis even if he’s a bit dry.

[longgame]

Raffy with a HR. Maybe no good Dominican food on the road.

[markj]

Renfroe goes yard for 3. Sweet.

[Sea Dog 23]

I’m not gonna say anything right now.  Carry on.

[markj]

The bullpen strikes again. Sigh.

[longgame]

Barnes has reverted to the guy we thought he was.  Now its a 4 run 9th inning.

They just don’t lose, they lose painfully.

[markj]

Meatball Matt is back. The elevator is going down. 

[elktonnick]

Matt Barnes continues to pitch stupid stupid baseball.  He did not throw a single fastball to Meija in his at bat.  We all see that Barnes is not mentally capable of closing.  I also blame Vazquez for not going out there to calm him down.  His sequence of pitches in the ninth to the Rays showed a guy who was terrified to be on the mound.  He pitched scared and dug himself into a hole he could not get out of.

[BoSoxFanNY]

WHY is Barnes pitching in a tie game????
THIRD game in the last week that he has lost for the Sox.

WTF happened to this team??????????????????

Have no confidence that the Sox will be able to score 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning
to tie . . .

F^CK

[Sea Dog 23]

Cora lost the team in '19, and it looks to be the story again in '21.  He was saved by being suspended last year.  But against the Rays the starter one again can only go 5 innings or so.  That just can't happen with a bullpen lacking much quality, and with this crew having to manage 4-5 innings every night for months, they are toast.

There was a tweet overnight.  'Since July 21, Pawlecki is the only batter to have gotten a hit with a runner on third  with fewer than two outs.'  That is sad.  On top of that the batters can't seem to draw walks, making their OBP some of the worst in the league.  I don't think this is a team having morale problems from not getting good trades at the deadline.  I think they were just a mediocre team all year, having a good start, but wilting away when they had to play the top clubs in the ALEast night after night since late June.