Archer frustrated after giving up eight runs in three innings./CARMEN MANDATO
Saturday, 3 a.m.
When the Tampa Bay Rays finally come back home on Friday night, will they still have a chance at the American League wild-card berth?
The chances of that took a hit Friday night, when the Rays were drubbed 9-3 by the Boston Red Sox. Making matters worse, possibly, is the news that next week's series against the New York Yankees has been shifted to Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets, because of Hurricane Irma.
The Rays have now lost two straight games, and given up 19 runs, as they have fallen four games out of the final wild-card slot.
Souza injured his knee against the Red Sox./CARMEN MANDATO
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Chris Archer started for the Rays Friday night, and although manager Kevin Cash raved about his stuff, Archer was hit hard. In three innings, he gave up nine hits and eight runs (six earned).
“It was an interesting start for Arch,” Cash said. “I thought he had a good fastball. I thought his breaking ball was good. Their approach was just better. They had a really good approach. They would spit on the good sliders and hit the bad ones. They just had a good approach.”
Sucre had a two-run homer for Rays./CARMEN MANDATO
Cash called Archer's start “a head-scratcher.”
It started early. Archer gave up a single and double to the first two hitters he faced, then he gave up a three-run homer to Mookie Betts. It was the third homer he had surrendered in a 19-pitch stretch.
The Rays later lost Steve Souza, who banged his knee against an outfield fence in right field foul territory and had to leave. Cash was hopeful it wasn't serious, but said it was “highly unlikely” that Souza would play today.
Tampa Bay managed only five hits, all by the bottom of the order. Brad Miller and Jesus Sucre each had two, and Sucre had a two-run homer as Boston's Drew Pomeranz won his 15th game.
It doesn't get easier today. Chris Sale of Boston starts against Matt Andriese in a 7:10 p.m. game at Fenway.
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