Red Sox at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays couldn’t have ended their hitting slump and four-game losing streak in a better fashion Wednesday as they battled back from four runs down to grab a 7-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The Rays look to build off that emotion when they send Jake Odorizzi to the mound 24 hours later in the rubber match of the three-game home set.
“We needed that one,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told reporters after his team posted 12 hits – eight more than during a 1-0 loss in the series opener. Steven Souza Jr. belted his team-leading fourth homer to go along with a double Wednesday before leaving with a cramp in his right forearm, but is expected back to face Red Sox ace Clay Buchholz. Homers by David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia were not enough for Boston, which has lost nine of its last 13 at Tampa Bay. The Red Sox need slugger Mike Napoli to get going, although he registered his first two-hit game in the loss.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (1-2, 6.06 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (2-1, 1.74)
Buchholz has sandwiched two strong outings around getting pounded by the New York Yankees for 10 runs in 3 1/3 innings on April 12. The 30-year-old Texan, coming off an 8-11 season, gave up two runs on 11 hits over six innings in his last outing against Baltimore on Saturday and has struck out 19 in 16 1/3 frames overall. Asdrubal Cabrera is 4-for-9 with two homers against Buchholz, who is 8-6 with a 2.45 ERA in 18 career starts versus the Rays.
Odorizzi was dominant in his first two starts and threw five scoreless innings before surrendering three runs in a 9-0 loss to the Yankees the last time out. The 25-year-old Illinois native has struck out 19 and walked five in 20 2/3 innings while allowing four runs overall after going 11-13 a season ago. Allen Craig is 0-for-9 with three strikeouts versus Odorizzi, who is 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA over five career starts against the Red Sox.
WALK OFFS
1. Ortiz recorded his 1,538th career RBI in the second game of the series with the homer to move past Joe DiMaggio for 46th in baseball history.
2. Tampa Bay INF-OF Jake Elmore became the 11th player to homer in his first at-bat with the team Wednesday – a group that includes Cash (2005).
3. Boston OF Shane Victorino left Wednesday’s game with right hamstring tightness and his status is uncertain.