Red Sox officially eliminated from playoffs, fall to Rays 5-4
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – The disappointment is complete.
The 2019 Red Sox were officially eliminated from playoff contention Friday night when the Cleveland Indians beat the Philadelphia Phillies. The Sox then lost to the Rays 5-4 in 11 innings.
Willy Adames walked the game off with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the 11th.
The game went to extras when Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer in the top of the 9th.
Moreland also broke the scoreless tie in the seventh inning with a two-run homer. That shot chased Rays starter Charlie Morton from the game, who had given up just four hits and had struck out eight until that point.
But the Rays responded with a three-run bottom of the seventh to erase Boston’s lead. Darwinzon Hernandez put the Sox in trouble by giving up a hit and walking two. Marcus Walden allowed two inherited runners to score before a Josh Taylor wild pitch brought across the go-ahead run.
Ji-Man Choi added a run-scoring double in the eighth.
Rick Porcello tossed six scoreless innings in one of his best starts of the season. The righty struck out six and allowed only three hits.
The Red Sox and Rays will continue their series Saturday night. Righty Travis Lakins will open a bullpen game for Boston. The Rays will counter with lefty Tyler Glasnow (6-1, 2.03 ERA).
