Red Sox Defeat Rays 2-0 In 13th Inning
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Never mind hitting the ball out of the park like they did the previous night, combining for seven home runs. On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox would have settled for a few more balls hit out of the infield.
It took 13 innings and 32 combined strikeouts by the two pitching staffs, but the bats finally woke up as Rusney Castillo delivered a bases-loaded single to score the game's only runs in a 2-0 Boston victory at Tropicana Field.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia started the rally with a one-out single, followed by singles from shortstop Xander Bogaerts and first baseman Travis Shaw that loaded the bases.
Facing Tampa Bay reliever Andrew Bellatti, the Rays seventh pitcher, Castillo ripped an offering to left field to score Pedroia and Bogaerts.
Heath Hembree (1-0) got the victory with one inning of relief, and Robbie Ross Jr. picked up his second save. Enny Romero (0-1) took the loss.
Lefties Drew Smyly of the Rays and Red Sox starter Rich Hill had many in the 15,402 wondering where both team's offenses had gone.
Hill was starting his first game since 2009, and after his sterling performance he certainly won't have to wait as long for his next one. He pitched seven innings, allowed one debatable hit and struck out 10. He only allowed one leadoff batter to reach base, and retired the last eight he faced.
Hill confused the Rays with his offspeed stuff, particularly a slow wide-bending curveball, right from the start. He sandwiched a pair of pop outs to the catcher around a strikeout for a 1-2-3 first inning, setting the tone.
Hill nearly left the game after seven with a no-hitter. In the third inning, Rays catcher J.P Arencibia hit a playable grounder to the backhand side of Bogaerts, who couldn't come up with it. It was ruled a single, the only hit that Hill allowed.
Tampa Bay didn't hit a ball out of the infield until the fourth inning and every starter except center fielder Kevin Kiermaier struck out at least once.
For the game, the Rays popped up almost as many outs to the catcher (three) as they did to outfielders (four).
Smyly matched Hill scoreless frame for scoreless frame. He pitched six innings, allowed just four hits -- two were bloopers and one never left the infield -- and tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts. He was lifted after throwing 97 pitches, 60 for strikes.
Smyly faced minimal trouble, and when he did he was able to work out of it. He struck out the side in the first inning, and surrendered a single by Boston left fielder Rusney Castillo to start the second but struck out two more.
With one out in the third inning, center fielder Mookie Betts singled to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, longest active streak in the majors, and Bogaerts walked. The two pulled off a double steal with two outs to put both in scoring position, but a bouncer to Rays first baseman Richie Schaffer ended the threat.
After walking Castillo to start the fourth inning, Smyly picked him off and then struck out designated hitter Allen Craig and third baseman Deven Marrero, and then worked his only 1-2-3 inning in the fifth.
