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Split City

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Harold Ramirez hit a two-run double in the top of the ninth inning to finish a 3-for-5 performance and lift the Tampa Bay Rays past the host Boston Red Sox, 4-2, on Saturday in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

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Francisco Mejia added two hits and a run to help the Rays split the twin bill and the first half of the four-game series.

With Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (1-3) on for the second straight game, Mejia and Yandy Diaz opened the ninth with back-to-back singles before advancing into scoring position on Brandon Lowe’s deep flyout into the right field corner.

Ramirez’s line-drive double to right plated both runners, giving Tampa a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

In the bottom half of the ninth, Jose Siri made a game-ending diving catch in center field to rob a potential extra-base hit from Jarren Duran. Boston had two on when Siri made the grab.

Calvin Faucher (1-1) and Jason Adam each pitched a scoreless inning for the win and save, respectively.

Triston Casas had a double and a triple for two of Boston’s five hits.

Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford set down six of the first seven batters he faced, but Manuel Margot’s leadoff double to left in the third inning helped the Rays push across the go-ahead run.

Mejia and Diaz followed Margot’s two-bagger with groundouts, with the latter putting Tampa ahead 1-0.

The visitors were held to one run in the inning as Crawford recorded the final out, and then reliever Justin Garza retired the side in order an inning later.

Masataka Yoshida helped get the Red Sox get going in the last of the fourth, driving a leadoff double to left and scoring when Casas ripped a two-out triple to deep center.

After Boston reliever Ryan Sherriff worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth, the Rays bounced back to jump ahead in the sixth, as Siri ripped a pinch-hit RBI double past diving third baseman Rafael Devers.

Siri’s hit kept the Rays in front 2-1 until Connor Wong scored in the seventh on a Devers popup that second baseman Brandon Lowe dropped.

Tyler Glasnow worked 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball as the Rays starter. He struck out six.

–Field Level Media

Sox vs Rays: Rain Forces Strange Schedule; Two Today & 4pm Monday

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – An untraditional four-game series between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Ray is due to begin in an untraditional way on Saturday afternoon.

After the scheduled Friday night game was postponed due to persistent rain and thunderstorms, the American League East foes will begin their four-game series with a previously scheduled day-night doubleheader today.

“A lot of baseball getting played,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said entering the series.

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The set is now slated to conclude with a rescheduled Monday afternoon game, taking away what had originally been a travel day for both teams.

Both teams’ pitching plans for the doubleheader were not finalized entering what was set to be series opener, and Boston’s plans were potentially complicated after losing left-hander Chris Sale to the 15-day injured list on Friday due to left shoulder inflammation.

“You cannot predict what happens before the doubleheader, but at the moment (we made the decision to schedule one) we felt really good,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “I’m not saying it feels worse now, but obviously the circumstances have changed. That’s the beauty of 162 (games).”

After being set to start Friday, Garrett Whitlock (2-2, 5.14 ERA) will throw in the series opener today for the Red Sox, who have lost seven of their past 10 games.

It will be Whitlock’s second start since being reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after recovering from right elbow ulnar neuritis. He allowed just one run on three hits in a five-inning victory at Arizona on May 27.

Whitlock started against the Rays on April 11, and he allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings in a 7-2 road loss. In seven career appearances (two starts) vs. Tampa Bay, he is 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA.

Boston’s starting pitchers have allowed four or fewer earned runs in 12 of the past 14 games.

Cora had been excited about the rotation’s makeup before Sale went down.

“He’s really good, and this is where we’re at,” Cora said after Whitlock’s latest start. “The three kids (Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello) and the two veterans (Sale and James Paxton) … and there’s two kids in the bullpen that are really good, too. Structure-wise, this feels good.”

The Red Sox’s starting pitcher for the second game was to be determined.

Tampa Bay is slated to go with Trevor Kelley (0-1, 4.91 ERA) as the Game 1 opener, while Taylor Glasnow (0-0, 6.23) is lined up for a start in the nightcap.

Glasnow pitched 4 1/3 innings of three-run ball against the Dodgers on May 27, which marked his return from a left oblique strain that sidelined him since February.

“I was glad to be back out there,” Glasnow said. “Just to feel the emotions and, like, the adrenaline again was nice and kind of just got me back into that in-season routine.”

As the 27th man added for the doubleheader, Cooper Criswell likely will work the bulk of the first game after Kelley.

The Rays went 17-12 in May and have seen 19 of their past 27 games decided by two runs or fewer. Jose Siri’s two-run, eighth-inning homer was the difference on Wednesday in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs, as Tampa Bay avoided being swept for the first time all season.

Red Sox: Sale Back to IL

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox placed oft-injured left-handed pitcher Chris Sale on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation on Friday.

Sale left his start Thursday night against the Cincinnati Reds after 3 2/3 innings due to soreness in his pitching shoulder. He had allowed one run on five hits while walking one and striking out six.

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sale had an MRI Friday morning and the results were not back yet.

Since making at least 25 starts in each of his first three seasons with Boston, Sale’s career has been riddled with injuries. Thursday marked just his 22nd start since the beginning of the 2021 season, after he missed the entirety of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Last season was also a disaster, as Sale began 2022 on the 60-day injured list due to a rib stress fracture. He returned in July, only to fully get through one start. In his second outing, Sale took a come-backer on the mound and fractured the pinkie finger on his pitching hand.

The Red Sox then announced in August that Sale had surgery on his right wrist after a biking accident.

“It sucks,” Sale told reporters in Boston Friday. “I was actually kind of getting used to sitting in front of you guys talking about good stuff. It’s been a rocky road. I felt like I was over the hump. I really did. I felt like I was back to being myself. And for something like this to happen, it’s obviously deflating.”

Sale is 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 11 starts this season. He’s thrown 71 strikeouts to just 15 walks in 59 innings.

In a corresponding move, Boston reinstated right-handed starter Corey Kluber from the paternity list.

–Field Level Media

Can Sale Break Losing Streak

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BOSTON – In the first week when the Boston Red Sox have the local sports scene to themselves, after the NBA’s Boston Celtics took a disappointing exit in Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, the Sox dropped two games to the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

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That’s not what Boston sports fans had in mind as their baseball team returned from a lengthy road trip.

However, the Sox like what they’ve been getting from SP Chris Sale lately. The left-hander now gets an opportunity to end the team’s three-game losing streak when he starts against the visiting Cincinnati Reds tonight.

Sale, an All-Star every year from 2012 to 2018, has battled injuries during the last three seasons that limited him to 48 1/3 innings on the mound during that stretch, but he has looked like his former self during his past five starts. He went 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA in those five outings, striking out 35 and walking four in 32 1/3 innings.

“I feel like I’m trending in a good direction,” Sale said following his latest start, when he pitched five innings of one-run ball during a 7-2 triumph against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. “I’ve been around here too long to feel like I’m on top of a mountain and all, and I’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Sale (5-2, 4.72 ERA) had an 11.25 ERA after his first three starts of the season, and he had allowed 25 baserunners in 12 innings. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the turning point came after Sale tweaked his delivery before he faced the Baltimore Orioles in his fifth start of the season on April 24.

Tonight will mark Sale’s first career appearance against Cincinnati.

“I’m going out there and having fun again — and not throwing every pitch with three years of hate behind it,” Sale told USA Today. “I’m going out there with the attitude that today is a new day. Take it for what it is. Appreciate it, because I sure know it can be taken away.”

Hunter Greene (1-4, 4.18 ERA) will take the mound for the Reds, who have won the first two games of the three-game series and are riding a five-game winning streak.

The 23-year-old right-hander was stellar in his latest outing, when he didn’t allow a hit in six innings to help the Reds defeat the Chicago Cubs 9-0 on Friday. He struck out 11 and walked two.

Greene has made one career start against the Red Sox — one year ago to the day. He took the loss after allowing four runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings as Boston won 7-1. Greene struck out seven and didn’t allow a run in the first three innings of that game, but the Red Sox chased him by scoring four times in the fourth.

The Reds hung on to beat the Red Sox 9-8 on Tuesday, then rallied from a 3-1 deficit to prevail 5-4 on Wednesday.

Cincinnati manager David Bell called the Wednesday win a team effort, but he singled out reliever Buck Farmer, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to collect his first save of the year.

“Everybody (got) in the game that was available, and Buck Farmer stepping up,” Bell said. “(Closer) Alexis Diaz needed a day off. He’s been pitching a lot. Buck stepped right in and showed what kind of pitcher he was. That was how it ended, but great at-bats throughout the night, good defensive plays (and) Luke Weaver with a nice start.”

–Field Level Media

Sox: Paxton Ran Out of Gas

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Spencer Steer hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to help the visiting Cincinnati Reds stretch their winning streak to five games by beating the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Steer’s home run, his eighth of the season, came against losing pitcher Josh Winckowski (2-1) and broke a 3-3 tie. Kevin Newman, who singled earlier in the inning, also scored on the home run.

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Newman, Matt McLain and Nick Senzel each had two hits for the Reds. McLain has hit safely in nine consecutive games. Alex Verdugo collected two hits for Boston.

Masataka Yoshida and Enmanuel Valdez each hit a solo home run for the Red Sox, who have lost three in a row.

Ian Gibaut (5-1) earned the win for pitching one scoreless inning of relief. Buck Farmer retired the Red Sox in order in the ninth to collect his first save.

Boston starting pitcher James Paxton went five innings. He held the Reds to one run on four hits, struck out eight and walked one.

The Reds received 5 2/3 innings from starter Luke Weaver, who allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out five with no walks.

After Yoshida’s home run gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the second, Boston doubled its lead when Connor Wong singled and scored on a two-out double by Rafael Devers in the third.

Cincinnati cut its deficit in half in the fifth thanks to a two-out double by Luke Maile that scored Jose Barrero.

Valdez increased Boston’s lead to 3-1 when he hit his fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth, but the Reds pulled within a run again by scoring against reliever Kutter Crawford in the sixth. After walks to Jonathan India and Steer, Senzel singled to drive in India and make it a 3-2 game.

Not Close Enough

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Cincinnati’s Jose Barrero came off the bench to hit a grand slam and starting pitcher Ben Lively pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings to help the Reds pick up a 9-8 road victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

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Barrero’s home run came against Red Sox reliever Joely Rodriguez and made it 8-0 in the seventh. Barrero wasn’t in Cincinnati’s starting lineup but was inserted in center field when TJ Friedl left the game with hamstring tightness.

Boston made it game with five runs in the ninth. After RBI singles by Raimel Tapia, Rafael Devers and Justin Turner made it 9-6, Masataka Yoshida doubled in a run and Turner scored on a fielder’s choice to pull the Red Sox within a run. But with the would-be tying run on third, Reds closer Alexis Diaz struck out Triston Casas to end the game and collect his 13th save.

Will Benson had three hits and scored three runs for the Reds, who have won five of their last six games.

Before giving up the grand slam to Barrero, Rodriguez walked Stuart Fairchild with the bases loaded in the seventh. That forced home Spencer Steer with Cincinnati’s fourth run.

Boston starting pitcher Brayan Bello (3-3) left the game after throwing 97 pitches in four innings. He gave up a run on five hits, walked two and struck out four.

Cincinnati opened the scoring in the second. Benson scored on Friedl’s fielder’s choice when the Red Sox were unable to turn a double play.

The Reds increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth when Jonathan India singled and scored on Jake Fraley’s double. A throwing error by shortstop Enrique Hernandez — his second error of the game — allowed Benson to score from second and extended Cincinnati’s lead to 3-0 in the sixth.

After Barrero’s grand slam, Boston pushed across three runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Reese McGuire’s RBI double scored Valdez, Tapia’s triple scored McGuire, and a Devers single drove in Tapia to make it 8-3.

Tyler Stephenson tripled and raced home on Steer’s sacrifice fly to make it a 9-3 game in the eighth and give the Reds a critical final insurance run.

–Field Level Media

Reds Roll Into Town

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Report The visiting Cincinnati Reds can build on their momentum Tuesday night when they kick off a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox.

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The Reds enter the series with four wins in their last five games and are coming off a three-game road sweep of the Chicago Cubs. The Reds outscored the Cubs 25-10.

“Everyone is really proud of how we’re playing, and how hard we’re playing,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said. “I don’t see that changing ever with the guys we have. It’s a good feeling. We’ve got a long way to go. We’ve got a lot left yet to accomplish and ways we have to keep getting better. It’s a good feeling when guys feel this good about how they’re going about it.”

No Cincinnati player is hotter than rookie shortstop Matt McLain, who will carry a seven-game hitting streak into the game. McLain, 23, had four hits in Cincinnati’s 8-5 victory over Chicago on Sunday. He’s 15-for-31 during his seven-game hitting streak.

McLain, a first-round pick in 2021, is batting .380 with two home runs and eight RBIs since making his major league debut on May 15. He was 9-for-15 with two RBIs and scored four runs in the three victories over the Cubs.

“I just try to live in the present and no matter what happens, I’m going to be locked in the next step, next pitch, next ground ball,” McLain said. “I don’t look at my stats that much.”

The Red Sox return home after posting a 4-5 record during a road trip out west. Boston took two of three games at San Diego and Arizona but was swept in a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels.

“We won two (against the Padres), the (series) in Anaheim the first two games we pitched great and we weren’t able to win the games,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “That was the hiccup of the whole trip. … We’ve got to figure out Sundays, that’s the next step.”

The Reds are expected to start right-hander Ben Lively (2-2, 2.65 ERA) on Tuesday night. Lively’s only career start against Boston came in 2017, when he pitched for the Phillies. He allowed three runs on eight hits in seven innings but wasn’t involved in the decision.

Brayan Bello (3-2, 4.08) is Boston’s probable starter. Bello pitched a career-high seven innings in a 4-0 loss to the Angels on Tuesday. He surrendered two runs on six hits and struck out six. It was the only time in his seven starts this season that he didn’t issue any walks.

Bello allowed eight earned runs in his first two starts this season but hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of his five starts since then. He earned the win in his only career start against the Reds, which came last year. He allowed a run on eight hits in five innings of Boston’s 5-3 victory. Bello struck out five and walked two.

Boston’s Rafael Devers went hitless in five at-bats Sunday after missing the previous two games with a calf injury.

–Field Level Media

D-Backs Stifle Red Sox, 4-2

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PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Arizona’s starting pitcher Merrill Kelly struck out a season high-tying 10 batters over 6 1/3 innings and Corbin Carroll belted a two-run homer to lift the host Diamondbacks to a 4-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

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Kelly (6-3) allowed one run on four hits and walked two batters to improve to 5-0 in his last six starts. He also fanned 10 batters over seven innings in the Diamondbacks’ 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals on May 5.

Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo homered to lead off the second and Josh Rojas added an RBI single as part of a three-run first inning.

Ketel Marte had a pair of singles to extend his career-best on-base streak to 27 games for the Diamondbacks, who snapped a three-game losing skid.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also had two singles in his first contest after seeing his career-high 17-game hitting streak come to a halt.

Boston’s Justin Turner homered to lead off the eighth inning and Alex Verdugo had an RBI single for the Red Sox, who struck out 15 times en route to losing for the fifth time in their last seven games. Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in his return to the lineup following a two-game absence due to an ailing calf.

Andrew Chafin relieved Kelly and promptly walked Rob Refsnyder to load the bases in the seventh inning. Verdugo sliced an RBI single to left field to trim Arizona’s lead to 4-1 before Chafin struck out Devers to end the threat.

Kyle Nelson served up Turner’s sixth homer of the season before Jose Ruiz bridged the gap to Miguel Castro, who fanned two batters in the ninth inning to secure his fifth save of the season.

Arizona set the tone early as Carroll followed Marte’s one-out single in the first inning by depositing a 1-1 fastball from Tanner Houck (3-4) over the wall in left-center field. Carroll’s homer was his eighth of the season and third in his last 10 games.

Perdomo gave Arizona a 4-0 lead after sending a 3-1 fastball from Houck over the right-center field wall for his fifth homer of the season.

Houck fell to 0-4 in his last six outings after permitting four runs on six hits in four innings.

The Red Sox returned home to Boston and are idle on Memorial Day.

–Field Level Media

Reds Sox Rally for Whitlock

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PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Garrett Whitlock tossed five strong innings in his return from a near-five-week absence due to an elbow injury, lifting the Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Boston’s Enrique Hernandez had an RBI single and the Sox catcher, Reese McGuire, drove in a run with a sacrifice bunt during the fourth inning. Boston outfielders Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran each had two of the six hits for the Red Sox, who have won the first two contests of this series after being outscored 20-4 during a four-game skid.

Arizona’s Ketel Marte belted a solo homer in the first inning to extend his career-best on-base streak to 26 games. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 0-for-3 to see his 17-game hitting streak come to a halt for the Diamondbacks, who mustered just three hits en route to losing their third straight game.

Whitlock (2-2) picked up the win after allowing one run on three hits while striking out four without walking a batter. He retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced.

Red Sox reliever Kutter Crawford struck out three over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Set-up man Chris Martin bridged the gap to Kenley Jansen, who retired the side in order in the ninth to secure his 11th save of the season and 402nd of his career.

Marte opened the scoring in the first inning after depositing an 0-2 offering from Whitlock just inside the right field foul pole. Marte’s homer was his seventh of the season.

Boston responded in the fourth inning as Yoshida and Triston Casas each recorded a single before Hernandez’s base hit off Zach Davies (0-1) forged a 1-1 tie. That spelled the end of the evening for Davies, who had just returned from the 15-day injured list due to an ailing left oblique.

Kyle Nelson relieved Davies and promptly loaded the bases before McGuire’s bunt left him with no option other than to get the out at first base. That run was charged to Davies, who allowed two runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Sale Past Padres

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SAN DIEGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s left-hander Chris Sale held the Padres to two solo homers over seven innings and Enmanuel Valdez gave Sale a quick 3-0 lead with a three-run, second-inning homer as the visiting Red Sox scored a 4-2 victory in San Diego.

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Sale allowed three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. He threw 111 pitches (73 strikes) to improve to 4-2. Kenley Jansen, who blew his last two save opportunities, retired Brandon Dixon on a game-ending pop out to third after putting the tying runs on base with walks. It was Jansen’s 10th save.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox scored four runs on six hits, a walk and a hit batter against Padres starter Joe Musgrove, who had six strikeouts in five innings. Musgrove fell to 1-2.

Raimel Tapia triggered the Red Sox second-inning rally with a one-out single and moved to second when Musgrove hit Enrique Hernandez with a pitch. With Valdez at the plate, Tapia and Hernandez ran on a double steal. Tapia was originally called out at third for the second out in the inning. But Boston manager Alex Cora appealed and Tapia was ruled safe.

Valdez then launched a high, 374-foot drive to right on Musgrove’s third pitch for his third homer of the season.

Boston’s second successful appeal led to its fourth run in the fourth. Hernandez doubled leading off the inning, although he was originally called out on a throw by Jose Azocar. But the Red Sox appealed and Hernandez was ruled safe at second. He moved to third on a single by Connor Wong and scored on Alex Verdugo’s one-out single.

Juan Soto reduced Boston’s lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second on his eighth homer of the season — a 409-foot drive to right center.

Fernando Tatis Jr. again reduced the Padres’ deficit to two runs with his seventh homer of the season on a full-count, 440-foot drive to left center in the sixth. Tatis’ homer was the ninth straight solo homer by the Padres.

Ha-Seong Kim followed the Tatis homer with a double — the Padres’ third and final hit.

–Field Level Media