Red Sox look to turn the page after Rays sweep

All the Red Sox can do now is turn the page.

The four-game drilling handed out by the Rays at Fenway Park is over. Boston will be on the road for 11 of its next 13, including the next four against the Yankees in the Bronx.

Thursday’s 17-8 defeat against Tampa Bay included a pair of position players taking the mound in the top of the ninth inning. Jose Peraza was struck on the right knee by a line drive, forcing Kevin Plawecki to ditch his catcher’s gear and [...]

All the Red Sox can do now is turn the page.

The four-game drilling handed out by the Rays at Fenway Park is over. Boston will be on the road for 11 of its next 13, including the next four against the Yankees in the Bronx.

Thursday’s 17-8 defeat against Tampa Bay included a pair of position players taking the mound in the top of the ninth inning. Jose Peraza was struck on the right knee by a line drive, forcing Kevin Plawecki to ditch his catcher’s gear and record the final two outs.

"Obviously you can’t control what happened already," Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. "Those games are over with. Just try to control what we have going forward. Try to go out there and have some fun."

Is that possible in this era of pandemic baseball? COVID-19 has stripped the togetherness from clubs like Boston. The home clubhouse has been replaced by suites and road trips include none of the team dinners or other bonding opportunities that existed in the past. There is little chance to truly kick back and refresh away from the field.

"They’re not happy with this losing," Boston manager Ron Roenicke said. "I still see the effort level. I still see how they prepare going into every single game we play. The attitude, what they talk about before the game – it’s still been good."

Some have appeared more crestfallen than others. Rafael Devers made three errors Thursday and cast his eyes skyward after one of them, searching to the heavens for an answer. He walked from the dugout to his position in the ninth, a course of action that would generally earn a verbal rebuke from a stern high school or college coach.

"Some guys, it’s not going the way they want to," Bogaerts said. "It’s been tough. Just got to be there for your teammates at a time like this. If you see their heads down you’ve got to go and remind them that you’re here for them – anything they need.

"You want to see them succeed so bad. It’s also when you see it because you know what these guys are capable of. It’s been rough. Hopefully we can find ways to have fun and that will change."

bkoch@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @BillKoch25