Red Sox vs Rays Recap: Durbin’s 2-HR Night Sparks Rays

The Red Sox rolled into Tampa on Wednesday night hungry for a win. They'd lost to the Rays 4-3 the night before and needed to bounce back. Drawing 27-39 record into town, Boston was hungry to stay in the fight. The Rays? They sat pretty at 40-25, riding a three-game winning streak at home. Tropicana Field buzzed with energy as the teams took the field. This was a battle between two teams heading in opposite directions. The Red Sox had lost four straight coming in. Tampa Bay smelled blood. The night would belong to the team that swung it better early. Let's see how these two clubs started their clash.

Jake Bennett took the mound for Boston, and Tampa Bay made him work. The Rays struck first in the third inning when Taylor Walls lifted a sacrifice fly to center. Nick Fortes crossed home, and it was 1-0 Rays. But the real damage came in the fifth. With two outs, Yandy Diaz slapped a single up the middle, scoring Fortes again. Austin Slater doubled to third, and Walls raced home. Ryan Vilade added another sacrifice fly, and Diaz charged across. Suddenly it was 4-0 Tampa Bay. Bennett's fastballs weren't fooling anybody. The Rays swung with purpose and put the Red Sox in a deep hole.

Boston wasn't done yet. In the eighth inning, Caleb Durbin absolutely ripped a fastball over the left field wall. The ball rocketed 415 feet into the night sky. One-run game now, 5-4. The Red Sox weren't backing down. Ceddanne Rafaela stepped up next against Steven Matz. He smashed a changeup that flew 395 feet—another bomb to left. Kiner-Falefa and Duran both scored on the blast. Suddenly Boston led 5-4! But Tampa Bay answered right back. Cedric Mullins crushed a homer to right-center, 386 feet of pure power. The Rays regained the lead 5-5. In the ninth, Durbin homered again, making it 5-4 Boston. Garrett Cleavinger shut the door, though, and Tampa won 7-5.