Porcello Loses 17th As Rays Beat Red Sox 4-1, Avoid Sweep
BOSTON (AP) — Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello was dealt his major league-leading 17th loss, the victim of poor run support once again as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 Sunday.
Porcello (9-17) took a 1-0 lead into the fifth, when Wilson Ramos and Evan Longoria hit RBI singles. Boston has scored two runs or fewer 18 times in 30 starts while Porcello was in the game. He gave up five hits in five innings.
Ramos homered in the sixth off Brandon Workman, a drive that just cleared the center field wall, and Lucas Duda went deep in the seventh against Robby Scott.
Tampa Bay avoided a three-game sweep and stopped Boston's four-game winning streak. The Red Sox began the day 4½ games ahead of the second-place Yankees in the AL East.
Alex Cobb (11-9) allowed one run and four hits — all singles — and three walks in five innings. Alex Colome pitched a perfect ninth to complete a five-hitter and earn his major-league leading 43rd save in 48 chances.
Christian Vazquez hit a run-scoring single in the first for Boston.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Steven Souza Jr. missed his second straight game with a bruised left knee that forced him out Friday after he ran into a wall along the right-field line. ... Ramos, Tampa Bay's catcher, took a foul tip off the top of his left foot.
Red Sox: INF Eduardo Nunez was sidelined with a bruised right knee sustained on a headfirst slide on Saturday. Manager John Farrell said Nunez was sore but expected back Tuesday. ... Farrell said the LHP Dave Price (left elbow inflammation) felt fine after his two-inning simulated game Saturday is likely to pitch three innings in a simulated game on Wednesday. ... Hanley Ramirez got the day off.
CLOSE ONE
Vazquez was called out by plate umpire Brian O'Nora when he tagged up and tried to score on Sam Travis' second-inning fly to right fielder Mallex Smith. The call stood on a video review, though on replays it appeared one of Vazquez's leg touched the plate before Ramos' tag.
HELPING OUT
Players of the Boston Bruins, Red Sox, Rays and Florida Panthers were at gates collecting donations for support of relief efforts that may be needed because of Hurricane Irma. The Panthers are training in the area with their AHL affiliate.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (8-7, 4.58 ERA) is slated to face Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (11-5, 3.91) on Monday when the teams open a three-game series at New York's Citi Field. The series was moved from Florida to the Mets' ballpark because of Irma.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-5, 4.33) is set to face LHP Sean Manaea (10-9, 4.33) when Boston opens a three-game series Tuesday against visiting Oakland. Rodriguez is 0-4 in his last 11 starts.
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