Boston’s Nick Pivetta showed some toughness by starting on four days’ rest against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, but got little support with his teammates striking out 17 times in a 3-1 loss. Chris O’Meara/Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — They arrived here on the wings of a modest two-game win streak, and to their credit rolled over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday to snap a hideous 13-game losing streak at Tropicana Field.
On Tuesday, they rallied from three runs down, cut down the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the 10th, then took the lead in the top of the 11th.
And on Wednesday, with yet another depleted bullpen, they gamely battled with a starter operating on three days’ rest and brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth.
Just one problem: For all their effort and fortitude, they lost the last two games of the series. Moreover, while they didn’t lose ground in the scramble for the final wild-card spot in the American League, they didn’t gain any either.
And that, like the hokey-pokey, is what it’s all about. Getting closer. Moving up. Winning. Instead they saw two more games come off the calendar, which, like the Blue Jays and three more teams in the AL West, has become an enemy.
Time is ticking – on the season, on the Red Sox.
For the second straight night, Alex Cora stood in the manager’s office and proclaimed the pride he felt in his team. Also for the second straight night, the words rang a bit hollow, given the final score: Rays 3, Red Sox 1.
“We didn’t do much offensively,” said Cora. “We competed today. It was good. There was a lot of good stuff that happened here tonight. Showing up and grinding the way we did, with where we were bullpen-wise … I know it sucks and there’s no moral victories. But we feel good. We’re going home now and if we want to gain ground, we’ve got a chance now.
“This week is going to be huge for us. Regardless of what people think, I’m very pleased with the way we played today.”
In truth, there wasn’t a whole lot to criticize. Pivetta gave them 4 2/3 innings on short rest, and made two mistakes with fastballs that were hit out. The lineup couldn’t get any traction against Tyler Glasnow, who racked up 14 strikeouts, tying a career high in six innings, but few teams would have done damage against an elite starter who was at the top of his game.
There was a botched rundown play in the fourth after Pivetta dropped a throw in the basepath, but ultimately that didn’t cost them.
That aside, Pivetta battled, and given that he stepped in when the Red Sox decided to skip James Paxton, and started a game four days after saving one in his last appearance, Cora felt it necessary to deliver a personal message when he pulled him in the fifth.
“I told him on the mound, ‘Thank you, bro,’ ” said Cora. “What he did today, that was good to see … He wants to compete and he’s been amazing for us.”
“It’s just fight all the time,” said Pivetta, characterizing the team’s approach. “We look forward to the challenges that are ahead, but just stay steadfast and enjoy the moments.”
From the offensive side, despite being limited to five hits, the Red Sox see progress, noting the 29 runs they scored in the previous four games before Wednesday’s shutdown.
“We’re always moving in the right direction,” maintained Triston Casas. “We’ve been putting together good at-bats. I like where we’re at, in terms of our lineup.”
But the raw numbers reflect the improbability of the task at hand. Since Aug. 2 the Red Sox are now under .500 (15-17) and the chances of them winning, say, two-thirds of the remaining 22 games that they need would seem slight.
Cora referenced the hole the Red Sox have dug for themselves and acknowledged how difficult it could be to navigate.
“Let’s be honest – we haven’t played good baseball (for stretches),’’ he said. “We put ourselves in a rough spot in certain weeks. We just have to keep grinding. We want to get to the next level. We want to make it. We want to make it, I’m telling you. We came here for three days and they won the series, but we’re right there.
“We’ve got to keep playing good baseball. We’ve got a good team coming (to town) and we just have to be ready.”
Readiness and willingness to compete are nice attributes, but again, they take a back seat to wins, of which there have not been nearly enough.
Of the next 13 games, nine will come against teams ahead of them in the standings, including six with two of their closest competitors.
That may represent an opportunity, but unless the Red Sox start matching their talk with better outcomes, it won’t mean much.
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