The Boston Red Sox scored three runs in the third inning Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park, and get this: they did it without allowing a single hit. Seriously, a no-hit inning where runs scored! This bizarre sequence turned a tied game into a three-run Boston lead, propelling the Red Sox to a 6-1 victory and a four-game sweep over the Tampa Bay Rays. This defeat pushed Tampa Bay’s season-high losing streak to five games, while Boston just kept rolling, winning their 13th straight.
Before the wheels absolutely fell off in the third inning, Victor Mesa Jr. delivered one of the most electric plays you’ll see. Mesa kicked off the second inning by blasting a ball into the right-center-field gap and just never stopped running, circling the bases for an inside-the-park home run. That was his seventh homer of the season and it gave the Rays a 1-0 lead. What a way to get on the board! The Rays even threatened to add more with Richie Palacios singling and stealing second, followed by a Taylor Walls walk. But Sonny Gray buckled down, getting the next three batters to strand both runners. Boston was not messing around, immediately answering in the bottom of the second. Caleb Durbin singled, stole second, and then hustled to third when Hunter Feduccia’s throw bounced away. Andruw Monasterio then doubled into left field to tie the game. Feduccia did recover by throwing out Jarren Duran trying to steal second, helping Shane McClanahan escape with only a 1-1 tie. The Rays even created another scoring chance in the third with Cedric Mullins walking and Chandler Simpson doubling, putting runners at second and third with one out. But Gray struck out Mesa and retired Palacios on a fly ball. Those missed opportunities? They stung big time.
Then came the third-inning unraveling, that no-hit blunder that will haunt the Rays. McClanahan walked Jahmai Jones. Then, after retiring Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu got hit by a pitch. Willson Contreras then walked after a challenge confirmed ball three. Suddenly, the bases were loaded. And that’s when the chaos truly began. A passed ball by Feduccia allowed Jones to score the go-ahead run. Durbin then hit a grounder to Junior Caminero, whose throw actually hit Abreau as Abreau scored. Contreras moved to third, and Durbin advanced to second. Can you believe it? Three free baserunners and two defensive mistakes had turned into a full-blown meltdown. Romy Gonzalez topped it off with a groundout that brought Contreras home. Just like that, Boston had a 4-1 lead without a single hit in the frame. Gray made sure that lead held up, making the Rays pay for their mistakes.
What a swing of momentum. For the Rays, stretching their losing streak to five straight is a tough pill to swallow, especially given the way this game unfolded. They just need to find a way to stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, Boston is on fire, riding an incredible 13-game winning streak. They’re playing with serious swagger right now, and it’s going to be a challenge for anyone to slow them down.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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