The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a road trip in which they went 5-2. They took three out of four from the Boston Red Sox and two out of three from the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays are getting hot just like the weather outside of Tropicana Field. The Trop was filled with a good amount of Red Sox fans. Many, especially the Rays fans, consider them some of the rudest that come to games at the Tropicana Field. I can tell you that not all of them are. Attendance is one of the biggest aspects of the new stadium hitting a snag. When teams that travel well come into Tropicana Field they fill a good portion of it. The city is scared of the same thing that happened in Miami after the first few years no one will show up.
In game one, the Tampa Bay Rays started Taj Bradley who was 1-1 after coming off the injured reserve. The Boston Red Sox countered with Tanner Houck who has been the ace of the staff in Boston. While down on the field for batting practice, both teams were relaxed as the game took place during the early part of the season. No matter what it is, a division game and these games could be important toward the end of the season as it could determine who makes the playoffs. The first pitch took place at 6:50 pm after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round pick Graham Barton threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Tampa Bay Rays were in third place in the division just ahead of the Red Sox. Boston third baseman Rafael Devers had homered in five straight games he was looking to continue his hot streak.
As the game started the respective records for each team were as follows, the Tampa Bay Rays 25-23 and the Boston Red Sox 23-24. The Red Sox wore their road grey jerseys with red numbers and navy blue caps. The Rays were wearing their navy blue tops white pants and navy caps. The Rays got some good news before the first pitch as second baseman Brandon Lowe has returned from the injured list. Tampa Bay has won 15 out of 16 games versus Boston at Tropicana Field let’s see if that continues. Taj Bradley came out dealing he struck out eight of the nine Red Sox he faced through the first three innings. Through the first three innings, there was only one hit. Center folder Jarred Duran hit a triple and broke up Bradley’s no-hitter. After the triple, Abreu hit an RBI double and gave the Red Sox the lead.
Rafael Devers came up two hitters later and hit a two-run home run to extend his streak to six with a homer. It made him the first Red Sox player in team history to homer in six straight games. His homer gave Boston a 3-0 lead and it also seemed that the hitters were figuring out Bradley after not getting a hit through the first three innings. The Rays offense had no answer. The Red Sox added to their lead on another two-run homer by Ceddanne Rafaela giving the Red Sox a 5-0 lead. A problem that has plagued the Rays pitching staff all season is the second time through the order where the trouble happens. Bradley got 10 strikeouts it was the second of his career. 13,489 was the total attendance for tonight’s game. Most of them cheering “Let’s Go Red Sox”!
After seven innings, Taj Bradley was replaced by Richard Lovelady making his Tampa Bay Rays debut. Bradley finished with five runs, five hits, no walks, and 10 strikeouts. A great start for him. Houck also exited after seven innings giving up two hits, one walk, and five strikeouts just like Bradley a good start. As the game went into the final inning the Red Sox led 5-0. That is where the game would end. The Rays struggled to get people on base and they wasted a good start from Taj Bradley. The Red Sox scored when they needed to with two two-run homers. Let’s see how tomorrow’s game two goes.
