While the Tampa Bay Rays were battling the Red Sox in Boston, this humble blogger was participating in a Rays Radio focus group at the Trop. (Photo Credit: Anthony Ateek/X-Rays Spex)
While the Tampa Bay Rays battled the Red Sox in Boston, this humble blogger participated in a Rays Radio focus group at the Trop. (Photo Credit: Anthony Ateek/X-Rays Spex)
Mikie Mahtook hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Matt Moore recovered from a tough start to fan seven as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Coming off his best start of the season, when he posted an efficient 7 IP/2 H/0 BB/9 K outing against the Orioles, Matt Moore took the bump for the second time in 10 days against the Red Sox. In turn Boston welcomed the lefty with two hits, two walks, and two runs five batters into the game. Mookie Betts started the rally with a hustle double to left-center.

After Josh Rutledge went down swinging, Xander Bogaerts and David Ortiz worked back-to-back walks to load the bases with one out. Travis Shaw followed with a two-run single to right-center for a two-run advantage. And though Moore wild-pitched Shaw to second, the lefty put down the next two batters (both swinging) to limit the damage and end the inning.

Moore threw an incredibly inefficient 32 pitches in the first inning, but he settled in and hurled 5-2/3 innings of scoreless baseball from that point on. Moore didn’t walk another batter, and collected seven strikeouts, while scattering seven hits. Topping out at 96 mph multiple times throughout his start, the lefty racked up 17 total swings and misses with his four seam fastball (5), change up (6), and curveball (6).

Matt Moore at-bat outcomes. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)
Matt Moore at-bat outcomes. (Credit: Brooks Baseball)
On the other side, rookie hurler Henry Owens buzzed through the first 12 batters, tossing four perfect innings to start the game on just 38 pitches. However, that all changed in the fifth inning when Logan Forsythe lined a double off the Green Monster to leadoff the inning. Asdrubal Cabrera laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt, moving Forsythe to third, and Steven Souza Jr. followed with a sac-fly to right to get Tampa Bay within a run.

The Rays took the lead for good with a little help in the sixth. Richie Shaffer walked to start the frame, and Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch (his AL leading 20th HBP), putting runners at first and second with one out. The hot hitting Mikie Mahtook singled to load the bases, bringing Evan Longoria to the plate. Longoria lifted a sac-fly to right, scoring Shaffer, but Betts’ throw went into the seats, allowing Guyer to come home for a one-run advantage.

Tampa Bay tallied two more runs in the eighth. Guyer led off the inning with a double to left and Mahtook followed with a homer over the Monster (his fifth) for a three-run lead.

14 Rays have now collected at least five homers in 2015 – one shy of tying the team record. Andrew Bellatti took the mound in relief and got three outs, Enny Romero put down the final batter in the eighth, and Brad Boxberger worked around a leadoff walk to record his team-best 36th save in the ninth. All told, it was a clean ballgame; something of a rarity for the Rays these days.

The New What Next

Drew Smyly (3-2, 3.64 ERA) will take the mound opposite of RHP Rick Porcello (8-13, 5.16 ERA) on Wednesday. Smyly allowed a season-high-tying five earned runs in his last start against Baltimore, all via two home runs. The lefty has surrendered 11 home runs in 54-1/3 innings this season. Smyly, however, is 2-1 with a 2.10 ERA in seven career regular-season appearances (five starts) against the Red Sox. Porcello will make his fourth start of the season against the Rays. In the prior three, he has gone 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 19 strikeouts. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 9/23/15 Starting Lineup

@mlblineups: 9/23 #Rays lineup at BOS
Jaso DH
Nava LF
Longoria 3B
Cabrera SS
Souza Jr. RF
Loney 1B
Arencibia C
Kiermaier CF
Franklin 2B
Smyly LHP

Noteworthiness

— In the third inning, Brandon Guyer denied David Ortiz of a hit and doubled off Xander Bogaerts. It was a well executed play by the outfielder, and felt oh so right considering the victims.

— Jake McGee threw a simulated inning in Boston Wednesday afternoon. The inning must have been good, as he received fist bumps from Kevin Cash, Jime Hickey, and the other pitchers who came to watch. The initial plan was for McGee plan was to throw, and if all went well, he would be available to pitch on Saturday in Toronto.

— For those of you wondering why Nathan Karns hasn’t started nor relieved of late, it turns out the righty has been shut down for the season due to right forearm tightness.  Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times),

Both Karns and Rays manager Kevin Cash said they are confident the issue is nothing serious and said that at a different point in the season he may have pitched through it. But after Karns went through a 20-pitch session early Tuesday afternoon, the decision was made to be cautious and allow him more time to rest and not risk further injury by having him make another start.

— Only two more days until our last regular season watch party of the year. Hope to see you at Green Bench Brewing Company on Friday. WATCHPARTY

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