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Rays let yet another game get away in 5-4 loss to Red Sox

The bullpen falters again as rookie reliever Colin Poche gives up go-ahead homer in seventh and Sox add on in eighth.
 
DIRK SHADD   |   Times
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Colin Poche (38) looks on as Boston Red Sox Christian Vazquez (7), on left, rounds the bases after hitting home run as the Red Sox go up 3-2 in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
DIRK SHADD | Times Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Colin Poche (38) looks on as Boston Red Sox Christian Vazquez (7), on left, rounds the bases after hitting home run as the Red Sox go up 3-2 in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.
Published July 24, 2019|Updated July 24, 2019

ST. PETERSBURG — Having Matt Duffy and all he brings in the lineup for the first time this season had the Rays feeling good going into Tuesday’s game against the Red Sox.

Yonny Chirinos, after allowing two first-inning runs, settled in to give them a solid start.

Travis d’Arnaud — yes, him again — got them back to even with yet another huge hit, a two-run homer in the third off Chris Sale.

And then …

Well, you kind of know the story by now.

The Rays put the game in the hands of their bullpen, and they watched it get away yet again as the Red Sox scored a 5-4 win, as a ninth-inning rally fell short.

“Tough night,’’ Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Related: MORE RAYS: Yandy Diaz winds up on the injured list

Rookie Colin Poche was the main culprit, allowing a pinch-hit, go-ahead homer to Christian Vazquez to open the seventh.

Diego Castillo was also complicit, loading the bases to open the eighth on a single, a walk and an infield single Willy Adames tried hard to make a play on. All of which led to two more runs.

And it’s also fair to ask if Cash deserves some blame for pulling Chirinos, who had thrown only 88 pitches on the night after allowing a single with two outs in the sixth.

Chirinos had been cruising, not allowing a runner past first since the first. The Sox had four lefties coming up but Chirinos actually had better numbers against lefties than righties. And his pitch count seemed quite in order.

But Cash said the situation called for a change.

“Just all the lefties,’’ he said. “(Chirinos) had at most 15 pitches to work with basically. It's a 2-2 ballgame. We've got the matchups we like with the lefties the way they stack their lineup. Felt like let's get somebody in there that's maybe a tick better matchup after those guys had already seen (Chirinos) two times through.’’

Had Poche done his job, the move would seemed fine. But it’s at outcome bias business at times, and Poche made it look terrible.

Rays reliever Diego Castillo (63) heads off the field as he leaves the Tuesday's game against Boston in the eighth inning. DIRK SHADD | Times

He got out of the sixth, but opened the seventh allowing a homer on an 0-1 fastball clocked at 92.5 mph that he threw too low and Vazquez drilled. That was the fifth homer Poche has allowed over his last eight games, and his third loss in six.

“It’s tough because I feel like at times, I’m on and I’m throwing the ball really well, and I feel like, every outing, there’s a pitch or two that I miss and I’m getting burned every time,’’ Poche said.

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“I just have to find a way to keep the ball in the ballpark. It’s getting pretty ridiculous, honestly, how much the ball is flying out when I’m up there. There’s no excuses for it. I just have to go out there and be better.”

The 3-2 deficit got worse as Castillo made a mess that led to two more runs in the eighth, though the defense could have helped him out.

Related: MORE RAYS: Was Garcia's mammoth shot Saturday the longest homer every at the Trop?

One came on a grounder second baseman Mike Brousseau couldn’t make a clean play on to throw home and had to take the out at first. The other after the bases were re-loaded and Adam Kolarek hit a batter.

“He’s just throwing too many balls,’’ Cash said of Castillo. “Couple plays that are questionable, could be made, should be, whatever. Either way he’s working way too hard. For the stuff that he has, he’s working way too hard.’’

The loss was the Rays’ seventh in eight games, dropping them to 57-47 overall and now tied with the Red Sox for third place in the AL wild-card race.

And it was tough enough on Cash that he didn’t find much encouragement in their late rally, as they scored two in the ninth (on a Ji-Man Choi single and a Tommy Pham walk) and had the bases loaded when Austin Meadows grounded out to end it.

“If you asked me that two weeks ago, I probably would have been more encouraged,’’ Cash said. “Nah, I want to win the game. We need to win. So get the big hit, make the big pitch. We’re just not doing it right now. So, no, there’s not too much encouragement right there.’’

Duffy was excited to finally be in the lineup, having been dealing with and working his way back from hamstring issues since spring training with several setbacks along the way, and the Rays were happy to have him.

He had a solid season debut going 2-for-3 with a walk, his single starting the ninth-inning rally.

“It feels like opening day,’’ Duffy said before the game. “It’s been a while, so I’m excited. …

“Everybody is grinding at this point, I think. Maybe provide some fresh, I don’t know, perspective, on the season. I guess I’m naïve to what everybody else is going through in here a little bit, which I think can be a good thing.

“I’m just going to try to do what I can to provide some energy,” Duffy said, "and some quality at-bats and see what happens.’’

The Rays are hoping that his contact-oriented hitting approach and big-game experience can get them going back in the right direction.

“We’ve talked about some offensive shortcomings here as of late,’’ Cash said. “Maybe (Duffy’s) a guy that can provide a little bit of a boost. He’s unique in his approach – a lot of bat to ball skill, lengthens out at-bats and can put a ball in play.’’

Knowing the team has been struggling and wanting to make up for missed time, Duffy acknowledged he may have to combat the urge to try to do too much.

“Maybe? I don’t know. I think yes,’’ he said. “But I think that’s normal a little bit, If I sat here and said no to you, that would be lying to a certain extent. Obviously, I know what I’m capable of. If I just relax and play my game, I think whatever happens results wise that will take care of itself as l focus on doing my part.’’

Besides what Duffy can do with the bat and glove, the Rays are expecting him to add some experience and leadership as well.

“His baseball IQ, whatever people talk about, it seems to be pretty high,’’ Cash said. “He’s got a good sense for the game. Very good awareness. He likes to talk baseball. I think that will ultimately help. It’s one thing to do it when you’re on the DL or IL. But when you’re in the thick of things and plays are happening, something he can pick up or see and say to a young guy could be beneficial.’’

Rays third baseman Matt Duffy (5) singled in the ninth inning Tuesday against Boston, Duffy's first game of 2019. DIRK SHADD | Times

Duffy, 28, with a 2014 World Series championship with the Giants on his resume, is willing to tap into his experience to share what he can.

“I think it helps,’’ he said. “I think that’s when people talk about proven guys or not, it’s not necessarily track record but ability to slow things down in big situations and big games and, I guess, presence in pressure situations. Not that I’m a physically intimidating guy, but I try to remain as calm as possible in those situations and if that rubs off on the guy next to me on the field that’s a positive thing.

Related: MORE RAYS: Former Tampa Bay ace David Price is smiling again.

“In big games, in big situations like that, in the games we’re going to be playing here in the next two months, that’s really what you look for is the ability to slow things down then the other team isn’t able to.’’

Duffy said he joins the Rays feeling good and no restrictions, limitations or even hesitations, having played 10 games, going 11-for-35 on his most recent rehab.

“About as ready as I feel like I could be,’’ Duffy said.

Cash said that’s good, because with Diaz out they will be more aggressive than originally planned with playing Duffy.

And they can definitely use the help.

Contact Marc Topkin at mtopkin@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Rays.