Following one of the worst performances of his career in the Boston Red Sox' thrilling comeback victory over the Texas Rangers last Friday night, Boston left-hander David Price (L, 8-5) had his sights set on rebounding in major fashion while facing his former Tampa Bay Rays teammates on Wednesday afternoon. 

David Price struggles once again 

Despite striking out 10 batsmen, this wish did not come to fruition in the slightest. Price dug himself a glaring hole once again by allowing three runs in a deciding third inning as the Red Sox dropped their fourth game in five tries with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Tampa Bay. The loss pushes them to a season-worst 5.5 games behind the first place Baltimore Orioles after their 12-3 shellacking of the San Diego Padres

For Price, the going was nothing less than tumultuous. The 30-year-old yielded four runs on nine hits and a walk in 6.1 innings of work, witnessing his ERA rise to an astoundingly steep 4.74 and his career record against Tampa Bay fall to 1-3. While he has often been bailed out by run support this season, that was not the case on Wednesday afternoon, as the Rays managed to allow less than five runs for the first time in 14 games. 

David Price was ineffective for the second consecutive start. | AP
David Price was ineffective for the second consecutive start. | AP

Matt Moore stellar for Rays

Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore (W, 4-5) was tremendous in his seven innings of work, holding the Red Sox hitless through the first five innings while allowing just three hits and striking out six batters in a shutout performance. Although the Tropicana Field crowd appeared to be doused heavily in Red Sox garb, Moore limited Boston's offense to just two baserunners through the first five innings before escaping a bases loaded jam in the sixth. 

After catcher Christian Vazquez, right fielder Mookie Betts, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts forced the bases juiced for the Red Sox with three singles, Moore managed to retire designated hitter David Ortiz, the American League leader in OPS, on a popout before forcing first baseman Hanley Ramirez to fly out to conclude the lone threat. 

The Rays touched Price early, getting on the board in the second inning as right fielder Brandon Guyer, filling in for the scratched Oswaldo Arcia lead off the stanza by smoking an offering 425 feet to left center for his seventh home run of the season. 

Matt Moore made all the correct decisions in dealing with the Boston lineup. | AP
Matt Moore made all the correct decisions in dealing with the Boston lineup. | AP

Tampa Bay proceeded to break the game open in the following inning. With one down, second baseman Logan Forsythe singled and advanced to third on a subsequent base hit by shortstop Brad Miller. Third baseman Evan Longoria, hitting .309 in June, drove in the Rays' second run of the game with an RBI double on the ensuing at-bat, making way for an RBI groundout by center fielder Desmond Jennings to push the lead to 3-0. 

Guyer then continued his dominant day at the plate, smashing an RBI double to left to score Longoria and increase the gap to 4-0, where it remained until Rays reliever Xavier Cedeno forced Red Sox third baseman Travis Shaw to ground into a fielder's choice to end the ballgame in the ninth inning. 

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About the author
Liam OBrien
Just a Boston man who loves sports. Oh, and writing is kind of a priority.