Scheduled Tribes. Petersburg, Fla. – Chris Sales started his season with five scoreless games, but the Boston Bullpen could not extend their two-run lead after losing 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
Cell, a fracture all season in his right rib cage, allowed three hits with walking and hit five. Lefty reached 97 mph on his fastball during the 78-pitch, 53-strike outing.
“Take a step in the right direction,” Sales said. “Sometimes the command was cunning, but when I really had to put up with it, I thought I was capable. I wish they were a little different. But that’s part of it. “
The Red Sox hope the 33-year-old cell could increase his chances of making the playoffs. This was only his 10th start for Boston since 2019.
Sales said, “Only total strength at the end of the game. I felt a little better as it went on. “” Feeling strong in the fourth and fifth innings, my best stuff, my strength is good. I’ll just keep pushing and we’ll try to win something. “
Corey Kluber (5-5) quickly defeated the Red Sox by two runs and four hits in six innings. The right-handed batsman played six innings in a 7-1 win in Boston last Wednesday.
Reese took a 3-2 lead in the sixth after pinch-hitter Francisco Mejia scored an RBI single on Matt Strom (3-3). Two more runs were scored after the Red Sox made two mistakes in the same game.
Brooks Raleigh played ninth for the fifth save on six occasions.
“Good job Chris,” said Boston manager Alex Cora. “And we didn’t get it done.”
Boston’s second baseman, Trevor Story, left the game when his right hand hit a pitch he had wrapped in the fifth inning.
Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead with six in the sixth after Taylor Walls put a single on Stroham’s left wrist. The left-handed player threw irresponsibly at first base, allowing Isaac Parades to score. First baseman Franchi Cordero then threw the mark on the plate and Mejia scored the next goal.
Alex Verdugo got his first Boston hit on Kluber when he struck out one in the fifth. When Jeter Downs – in place of Story – had a soft single in the middle, he moved to third. Boston took a 2-0 lead over a triple score by Cordero’s RBI Sacrifice Bunt and Bobby Dalbeck.
Boston All-Star Rafael Devers, who has sat down with back pain in the last three games, scored 1 for 4 as the designated hitter. Regular DH JD Martinez, who was on the AL All-Star team on Tuesday, got a night’s rest.
Getting the sale back means a chance to restart the Red Sox against the New York Yankees on Sunday in Boston’s final game before the All-Star break.
“First, just paving the way,” Sales said when asked about his most important takeaway since the start of his season. “You never know what’s going to happen. I just want to build on it, keep throwing strikes, stay strong. Attacking hitters, that’s all.”
Kora agreed.
The manager said, “He threw the ball well, he finished well. The pitch was good, his ball was in control and he took five innings. So this is a good start.”
Being around my peers and contributing to my share was also great for the sale.
“It’s all for me,” he said. “It means a lot.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.