ST. PETERSBURG (WDAE) -- For the third consecutive game, the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to tie up the Boston Red Sox, only to see a late rallysend them to a loss. Sunday, it was Christian Vazquez's sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th inning that broke a 3-3 tie en route to a 4-3 loss at Tropicana Field.
Vazquez's run scoring out came after Jose Alvarado allowed a base hit to Rafael Devers, then walked Michael Chavis. Jackie Bradley Jr. sacrificed both runners up a base, and Vazquez lifted a fly ball to deep center to break the tie.
Tampa Bay initially took a 2-0 lead on David Price, as Willy Adames and Michael Perez each started out with base hits. Price struck out Yandy Diaz and Tommy Pham, but Daniel Robertson picked up his teammates with a double on a full count that allowed both runners to score as they were running on the pitch.
Mitch Moreland cut the lead back to 2-1 in the top of the fourth with a solo home run, his seventh of the season, and Boston took the lead in the sixth, as Rays starter Tyler Glasnow gave up a one-out single to Mookie Betts, then Adam Kolarek walked pinch-hitter Steve Pearce, and Chaz Roe gave J.D. Martinez a freepass to load the bases for Xander Bogaerts, who drove in Betts and Pearce with a base hit.
Tommy Pham's solo home run off Matt Barnes n the bottom of the eighth tied the game at three apiece, but Tampa Bay would only get one more hit the rest of the game: a tenth-inning infield single by Yandy Diaz against Marcus Walden.
Tampa Bay has now lost four consecutive games for the first time since May 31-June 8, 2018, when they lost eight straight contests.
MONDAY'S MATCHUP
Tampa Bay Rays (14-8) vs Kansas City Royals (7-15), 7:10 pm first pitch, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch.
Rays starter: RHP Yonny Chirinos (3-0, 3.26 ERA)
Royals starter: RHP Brad Keller (2-1, 2.64 ERA)