Uehara falters in game two as Sox lose both halves of the twin bill

Apr 29, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara (19) pitches during the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Koji Uehara surrendered a solo shot in the ninth to give the Tampa Bay Rays the double-header sweep.

After losing a squeaker in the day game, Boston needed a strong showing from lefty Felix Doubront. Doubront put together a mediocre outing in the end, allowing four runs (three earned) on one walk and five hits while striking out five in an even six innings of work. After allowing one run in the second, Doubront managed to evade further damage in the frame thanks to a Ryan Hanigan ground out with men on second and third. In his final inning of the day, Doubront again flirted with disaster, giving up a two-run home run to Sean Rodriguez to pull the Rays within one.

Chris Archer had Boston’s number all night long. After escaping a Shane Victorino-on-third  jam in the first, the young right hander plowed through the Red Sox lineup until the fifth, his last inning of work. The Red Sox pushed their first run across thanks to a three walks followed by Shane Victorino gallantly getting hit by a pitch. Three straight singles out of David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and Grady Sizemore put the Red Sox up 5-2 in the fifth. Likely more would have come, but Sizemore was picked off of first base to end the inning.

Up 5-4 in the eighth, John Farrell stuck with Junichi Tazawa, who promptly gave up a double to Rodriguez, who then trotted home on a James Loney single.

With the game tied in the ninth, Uehara came in to the game in a bid to stop the Rays from doing any more damage. Unfortunately the Red Sox’ closer served one up to Yunel Escobar, who put the Rays on top with one swing of the bat.

The Sox briefly threatened in the ninth after Victorino led off with a double. But a called strike three to Xander Bogaerts ended the game without much more than a whimper.