Rays' bullpen squanders Civale's career day

ST PETERSBURG -- “Dominant” is not an adjective often used for Aaron Civale. After all, he doesn’t typically overpower hitters. He certainly doesn’t break any radar guns.

But when he’s locating like he was on Monday afternoon against the Red Sox at Tropicana Field, dominant can be a proper description.

Civale struck out a career-high 12 batters and allowed only two hits over 5 1/3 innings against Boston. However, Tampa Bay’s bullpen immediately let its starter down, leading to a 7-3 defeat. It was the Rays’ first home loss to the Red Sox since April 22, 2022, snapping a string of 13 consecutive victories.

“He was really good. Everything looked crisp,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He had a good fastball. Felt like he was throwing the ball where he wanted to. That’s maybe three outings in a row now that his stuff has played really, really well.

“Gotta be pleased with where he's at. Just wish we had a little bit more to show for it for him.”

• Games remaining: vs. BOS (2), vs. SEA (4), at MIN (3), at BAL (4), vs. LAA (3), vs. TOR (3), at BOS (2), at TOR (3)

• Standings update: The Orioles hold a 3 1/2-game lead over the Rays in the AL East. The Rays remain the top AL Wild Card team, the club that gets to host a three-game Wild Card Series against the AL’s No. 5 seed.

Entering Monday, the Rays had won four of Civale’s five starts, and he’s been a salve for the club’s injury-ravaged rotation, which is without three-fifths of its Opening Day quintet. He might have been at his best with Tampa Bay on this day. He was definitely at his most unhittable.

Civale attacked the Red Sox foremost with cutters up in the zone, then complemented that offering with well-spotted curveballs and sliders at the knees and below. He struck out six of the first 10 batters he faced and didn’t allow a hit until Adam Duvall got to him for an RBI single with one out in the fourth. Civale recorded 17 whiffs, one shy of his career high, which he set in 2022.

“I thought I threw every pitch with pretty good conviction and was driving the ball really well,” Civale said.

“He’s got the fastball going one way, the cutter going the other way," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "Good breaking ball today. He did an amazing job. He’s been one of the best pitchers in American League.”

However, if there is one negative of Civale’s time with Tampa Bay, it’s that he has fallen short of six innings in all but one appearance. And trouble began brewing for him in the sixth once again when he permitted a loud 105.5 mph ground-rule double to Wilyer Abreu, then walked Justin Turner following a strikeout of Rafael Devers.

With one out and his starter at 98 pitches -- and with the Rays’ top three bullpen arms having been used in each of the past two games -- Cash called for Chris Devenski out of the bullpen. Devenski’s top pitch is a changeup, and Cash thought it would work well against the left-handed-hitting Triston Casas. But for the second time in his two appearances with Tampa Bay, Devenski gave up a crucial knock to a left-handed hitter as Casas launched a 1-0 changeup a Statcast-projected 419 feet for a go-ahead three-run homer.

“Big situation right there -- just left it over the plate too much and he put a good swing on it,” Devenski said. “Props to him. I've got to find ways to get better and help contribute to this team.”

The Red Sox tacked on three runs in the eighth against reliever Andrew Kittredge, who made his fifth appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander said he feels like he’s all the way back from his operation in June of last year, and he doesn’t want to make any excuses for his poor performance. But his manager understands that it may take some time for Kittredge to regain his 2021 All-Star form.

“We've got to be patient with him,” Cash said. “He's going to have some days that he throws the ball really, really well, and he's going to have some days where it's not as consistent as what he's shown before. His injury just takes time.”

The Rays put three runs on the board just six batters into the game against Red Sox righty Brayan Bello. Leadoff batter Josh Lowe and Randy Arozarena scored on a two-run single by Brandon Lowe. Harold Ramírez then added an RBI double.

But with big bats such as Yandy Díaz, Isaac Paredes and Jose Siri getting the day off, the Rays mustered only two hits over the next five innings against Bello -- and they didn’t get a runner on base after the sixth.

“We had good at-bats early on, and then I felt like Bello settled in. He threw a good ballgame," Cash said. "He had a lot of late movement between the sinker and the changeup going one direction, and the big sweeping slider going the other direction. He made it tough for us.”