Hm does this ump not know my control is suspect? (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Red Sox dropped their second straight game to the 4th-place Rays last night, this time losing 6-2. The first two-thirds of this one was a pitchers duel, with Rick Porcello matching zeroes with the Rays’ Drew Smyly through six.

Our old friend Daniel Nava (a.k.a. the Thumb Faced Idiot) would break the scoreless tie in the top of the 7th. Batting with runners at first and third with two outs, Nava sent a chopper just out of Dustin Pedroia‘s reach and through the right side for an RBI single.

Porcello would escape the inning with no further damage, but failed to retire anyone in the 8th, and the bullpen did him dirty, allowing both inherited runners to score.

I feel like this was kind of the Platonic Ideal of a Rick Porcello start. He gave up 11 hits, but only three runs, one of which was unearned. He walked only one and struck out eight, while pitching into the 8th inning. He induced seven ground balls and two double plays (one of them was this beaut turned by Marrero and Pedey). Obviously the only thing missing was the “W” but I’m sure Ben Cherington envisioned a lifetime of these starts (or four years) when he signed Freddie to that contract extension.

Notable:

Mookie was 3-5 with a runs scored, and swiped his 20th bag of the season. Don’t be surprised if he becomes a 20/20 guy in the near future.

Bogaerts extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI single in the 9th.

Jean Machi got tossed in the 9th after throwing a ball that went over Steven Souza Jr.’s head. It was a breaking ball that got away, and Machi clearly had no intent of hitting Souza; pretty quick trigger by home plate ump Bill Welke. After Jean gets tossed you can hear some wise guy taking the umpire to task with some good clean burns.

“C’mon blue! Get a grip, will ya?”

“Hey blue get a grip! We’re losing ya idiot!”

“Hey blue! Wake up blue!”

Papi showed everyone he can still pick it, working from the ground up.