Quality starts from the Boston Red Sox pitching staff have been virtually nonexistent thus far in 2015, making it critical that the ballclub take advantage of each and every opportunity they receive to capitalize on a superb showing.

Today, however, the team failed to profit from Wade Miley's (7-7) two-run, five-hit, eight-strikeout performance is 6.1 innings of work. Boston's bats were utterly silenced, mustering a paltry three hits against Tampa Bay Rays starter Matt Andriese (3-2) and three separate relievers en route to a 4-1 defeat. 

Andriese retired the first 11 batters he faced, yielding just a single hit in six innings of work. He struck out five and restricted the Red Sox from working a single walk over the course of his 70-pitch outing. Relievers Jake McGee (perfect in one inning) and Kevin Jepsen (relinquished a solo home run to Red Sox left fielder Alejandro De Aza in an inning of work) were credited with holds, while closer Brad Boxberger worked a scoreless ninth for his 20th save of the season. 

Manager John Farrell opted to pull Miley with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, a decision which quickly backfired as right-hander Matt Barnes, called up from Triple-A Pawtucket earlier in the day, surrendered a solo home run to catcher Rene Rivera after recording just a single out, pushing the Tampa Bay lead to an insurmountable 3-0. 

De Aza's two-out bomb off of Jepsen decreased the deficit to 3-1, however the Rays responded almost instantly with a homer of their own as third baseman Evan Longoria deposited another Barnes pitch into the seats in left center to lead off the bottom of the stanza, reinstating the three-run gap. 

The only other Red Sox to record a hit on the afternoon were shortstop Xander Bogaerts (single in the fourth inning) and second baseman Brock Holt (single in the ninth inning). Center fielder Mookie Betts witnessed his 13-game hitting streak come to a close. 

Boxberger struck out Bogaerts to strand Holt at second to conclude the contest in the top of the ninth, sending the teams into tomorrow afternoon's rubber match with nine games separating them in the AL East standings. Justin Masterson (2-2, 6.37 ERA) returns from his stint on the disabled list for Boston to face Tampa Bay ace Chris Archer (9-4, 2.01 ERA) at 1:10 ET.