BOSTON - Quotes, notes and stars from the Red Sox' 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay Rays:
QUOTES:
"Part of that job is, when you miss, you have to miss to the extreme.'' - John Farrell on the role of eighth-inning reliever Clay Buchholz, who mislocated a fastball to Evan Longoria.
"We're putting ourselves in position to close games out and yet we've found ourselves a pitch or two from finishing the job.'' - Farrell on the team's bullpen woes.
"Fastball. I was trying to throw it up-and-away, and I pulled it, more inner-third. That's a spot where he hits the ball a long way.'' - Clay Buchholz on the game-winning homer by Longoria.
NOTES:
Boston Red Sox
* The Rays and Sox have played 21 one-run games in the lasr four seasons and four in the last week.
* David Ortiz's sacrifice fly in the sixth was his 26th go-ahead RBI, fourth-best in the A.L.
* Xander Bogaerts collected his 500th career hit, and became the fifth Red Sox player to reach that milestone before turning 24.
* Brock Holt's double in the fifth lifted his average to .337 with two outs.
* Hanley Ramirez's home run was his first against Tampa Bay since May 21, 2011 when he was with the Marlins.
* Ramirez has 19 extra-base hits in the last 27 home games.
* Dustin Pedroia was 1-for-3 and and is now 15-for-his-last-19 at Fenway.
* The Sox dropped to 7-37 when they score three runs or fewer.
* Brad Ziegler was unavailable, suffering from the flu.
STARS:
1) Evan Longoria
It wouldn't be a Rays win over the Red Sox without the third baseman doing some damage. Sure enough, he smoked a tape-measure shot over everything in left in the eighth to provide the winning margin for the visitors.
2) Luke Maile
Drew Pomeranz struck him out twice, but Maile more than got revenge in the seventh with a two-run homer into the Monster Seats to tie the game.
3) Hanley Ramirez
The first baseman had a three-hit night, including a solo homer and a run-scoring single, accounting for two of the three Red Sox runs.