Red Sox look to ignite sluggish offense in rematch vs. Rays

The Boston Red Sox have just nine hits over the first two games of their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Despite the meager total, the Red Sox will look for the series win Thursday night as the teams close their set in St. Petersburg, Fla.

In fact, Boston (76-76) played small ball in the eighth inning Wednesday night and evened the series with a 2-1 victory. It was the club's fourth win in five games inside the domed park in 2024.

After producing just three hits in Tuesday's 8-3 defeat, the Red Sox received a homer from Trevor Story in the sixth inning Wednesday to tie the game at 1-1. Then they took advantage via Story's fleet feet in the eighth.

His leadoff single past the pitcher led to thefts of second and third bases. Jarren Duran grounded the game-winning hit through a drawn-in infield.

Triston Casas has had the club's best swings through two games (2-for-5, homer, double) of the series and was robbed of a double on a brilliant leaping catch by Rays left fielder Christopher Morel. The inning-ending catch prevented two runs from scoring.

A native of Pembroke Pines, Fla., near Fort Lauderdale, the 24-year-old Casas said he may have had a home-state advantage despite being a four-hour drive from home.

"Dad, grandma, aunt, mom, couple of different cousins, family members -- I think it was just a hug I needed," Casas said during a post-game, on-field interview. "Having them around always makes me feel good.

"It's always nice coming to Florida and having them here to watch me, but they do put a little pressure on me to do well. I don't want them to drive all this way for me to lay an egg."

Boston moved to 17-12 in one-run games this season and 41-36 on the road.

The Rays (74-78) received a career-high 12 strikeouts over six innings Wednesday from starter Ryan Pepiot, but they failed to score with runners on the corners and one out in the eighth.

"(Pepiot) certainly did his part," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "First and third, you've got to find a way to get that run in."

The Rays slid to 57-32 (.640 winning percentage) against Boston since the 2019 campaign, and they will go with former Boston right-hander Zack Littell as the starter in Wednesday's finale.

A member of the Red Sox in 2023 though he only tossed three innings in a pair of relief appearances, Littell (7-9, 3.73 ERA) has turned in a career performance in his second season with Tampa Bay.

The right-hander has established a season high in starts (27), wins, innings pitched (144 2/3) and strikeouts (127).

Littell is 3-2 with a 2.05 ERA in six starts across August and September. The seven-year veteran is 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA against Boston in three career appearances, two of them starts.

Boston will send out team wins leader Brayan Bello (14-7, 4.60), who is 4-2 in his past six starts. The Dominican right-hander earned the win in an 8-5 victory over the host Rays on May 22.

During his three-year career, Bello is 2-3 with a 6.47 ERA in six starts against Tampa Bay.

--Field Level Media