If the Tampa Bay Rays want to avoid being swept out of the ALDS, then they're going to need to get it together pretty quickly. The Boston Red Sox, who hold a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-five set, wasted no time getting on the board in Game 3 with a bit of help from the Rays' defense.
Red Sox vs. Rays score: Boston takes early lead, 1-0
The Red Sox scored a run in the first inning on an errant throw by Ben Zobrist.
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
It only took Boston four pitches to get two runners on base against Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb; Jacoby Ellsbury singled and Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch. Dustin Pedroia followed by grounding a tailor-made double play ball to Evan Longoria at third base, but Victorino's hard slide into second caused second baseman Ben Zobrist to throw the ball several feet up the right-field line. By the time first baseman James Loney had retrieved the ball from the backstop, Ellsbury had scored and Pedroia was standing on second base.
On the bright side for the Rays, Cobb got out of the inning without further damage. However, it was an inauspicious start to a potential elimination game for the Rays, who will need to turn on their bats against Clay Buckholz and his 1.74 regular-season ERA to get themselves back in this game.
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