As the Red Sox trudged off the field, the Rays celebrated wildly. A team with nothing to lose is heaping pressure on a team with everything to lose.
The Sox have lost four straight, six of seven, and eight of their last 10 games. They now lead the Rays by four games in the loss column in the American League wild-card race. They still remain 2 ½ games behind the first-place Yankees, who have lost four in a row.
The Sox have 17 games remaining, the Rays 18. Jon Lester will be on the mound today to try to avoid what could be a costly sweep. James Shields (14-10) will start for the Rays.
The teams start a four-game series at Fenway Park on Thursday.
“Our goal is now to win tomorrow. That’s the best way to go about it. That’s the only way to go about it,’’ Sox manager Terry Francona said.
Bard (2-7) started the inning by allowing a triple to Jennings, the ball landing between Jacoby Ellsbury and Darnell McDonald in right-center. Ellsbury dived and just missed the ball.
“There was no lack of communication, it just fell in,’’ McDonald said. “We were both pretty close.’’
With the infield in, B.J. Upton grounded to first. Bard got ahead of Longoria, 0 and 2, and threw a high 98-mile-per-hour fastball.
“Exactly where I wanted it,’’ said Bard, who has given up six runs in his last two outings. “He tomahawked it.’’
Tampa Bay rookie Jeremy Hellickson went six innings, turning a 4-3 lead over the bullpen. Four relievers got six outs before closer Kyle Farnsworth took over in the ninth.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered to right field with one out. Then Ellsbury added to his MVP candidacy with a homer to right-center, his 26th of the season.
Dustin Pedroia, mired in a 2-for-30 slump, lined a pitch over the shortstop’s head and hustled to second for a double, diving in headfirst to beat the tag.
Gonzalez was next and drew a walk. That was enough for Rays manager Joe Maddon, who called in lefty Cesar Ramos to face David Ortiz. With a chance to give his team the lead Ortiz bounced into a double play to end the inning.
