Lugo placed the Red Sox in a hole they couldn't climb out of by botching an easy and necessary play. The shortstop fumbled the transfer after getting a forceout at second, negating a possible double play and allowing an extra run that created the deficit the Sox fought all afternoon but never could surmount.
The Sox sauntered into Tropicana Field having taken early command of their division, and they headed for New York and the new Yankee Stadium hoping they hadn't let the Rays off the mat. The Rays limped into the series, and they exited having "picked up the intensity dial," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
"We have 140-something games left," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "I don't think anybody is hitting the panic button because we got beat three out of four. You can't sit back and say, 'Oh, no, we lost three out of four. The season is over, let's go home.' We're going to be fine."
The Sox had chances to even the series throughout yesterday's closing game, but the deciding play happened early on. The Rays had taken a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Rays catcher Michel Hernandez came to the plate with men on first and third and one out.
Penny needed a reprieve. Hernandez gave it to him: a ground ball to second base. "That's exactly what we were hoping they'd do," Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Hit it right to Pedey so we could turn two and get the heck off the field."
Pedroia fielded the ball, shuffled, and flipped underhand to Lugo. Hernandez lumbered like a catcher to first. It was perfect, except, "you play middle infield, you kind of miss the exchange sometimes," Pedroia said.
Lugo tried to transfer the ball from glove to hand but the ball trickled out and rolled into the outfield. Akinori Iwamura scampered home from third. The Rays led, 3-1, their tenuous lead made secure for ace James Shields.
"Just dropped the ball," Lugo said. "That's a big play for us. We turn that double play, it would have been different. I just dropped it. That play, we have to turn it. For us to win games, we have to turn that play."
Penny absolved Lugo afterward, but anger dominated his initial emotions. He kicked dirt on the mound and howled, then punched the inside of his glove.
