Despite utilizing a depleted lineup and facing hyped rookie starter Matt Moore, the Red Sox managed to push eight runs across Sunday, knocking off the Rays in Port Charlotte, 8-4.
Four of those runs would come off of Matt Moore, with Cody Ross and Josh Kroeger taking him deep in the first two innings. Then, in the third, Moore seemed to lose all semblance of control, walking three of the first four batters he faced before being lifted for Romulo Sanchez, who allowed two of those runners to come in.
Clay Buchholz, on the other hand, would have no control problems at all. Showing good command of his fastball and with a curveball that started and stayed on, Buchholz would allow just one run to the Rays on an Evan Longoria home run, and even that came on a decent pitch. Buchholz finished his day with five innings, one run, four hits, and four strikeouts to his name.
The Sox, meanwhile, had added on two more runs in the fourth, and would make it 7-1 by the time the bottom of the sixth rolled around. The Rays would find some life then, scoring two off of Justin Thomas and adding another run off of Vicente Padilla in the seventh to make it 7-4. But, with Pedro Ciriaco bringing an eighth run in to score in the ninth, and the Rays stranding a pair of baserunners in the ninth, the Sox left Port Charlotte 8-4 winners.
The Good
Clay Buchholz was having one of his good days, and looked untouchable but for the home run, throwing more than 75% of his pitches for strikes.
Cody Ross continues to abuse left fields everywhere.
Alex Hassan, tired of walking every other plate appearance, just walked in one of his three trips to the plate today. He hit in the other two, and now possesses one of the weirdest .616 OPS lines you will ever see at .176/.440/.176.
The Bad
Mike Aviles has seen his hot start go by the wayside, and after an 0-for-4 day, now sits with just a .581 OPS for spring.
Vicente Padilla allowed five hits, but just one run in three innings, so it's not too big of a deal.
The Ugly
Thankfully, very little.