2021 Boston Red Sox season

====Game 3====

====Game 3====

Boston took a 2–1 lead in the series with a 6–4 win in a 13-inning Game 3. The Rays scored twice in the top of the first inning, via a two-run homer by [[Austin Meadows]]. The Red Sox got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a [[Kyle Schwarber]] solo homer. Boston went ahead, 3–2, on four consecutive singles that scored two runs in the bottom of the third, and extended the lead to 4–2 via a fifth-inning solo home run by [[Enrique Hernández (baseball)|Kiké Hernández]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/kike-hernandez-consecutive-hits-in-postseason |title=Kiké homers for historic 7th straight hit |first=Brian |last=Hoch |website=MLB.com |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref> In the top of the eighth, [[Wander Franco]] homered and [[Randy Arozarena]] hit an RBI double, both off of [[Hansel Robles]], as the Rays tied the game, 4–4. After a scoreless ninth inning, the game went to [[extra innings]]. [[Nick Pivetta]], expected to be Boston’s starting pitcher in Game 4, came on in relief and held the Rays scoreless in the top of the 10th, while the Rays’ [[David Robertson (baseball)|David Robertson]] held Boston scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Both Pivetta and Robertson stayed in the game and pitched a scoreless 11th inning. Pivetta again held the Rays scoreless in the top of the 12th, while [[Luis Patiño (baseball)|Luis Patiño]] held the Red Sox scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Pivetta pitched a fourth scoreless inning, the 13th, which included a [[ground-rule double]] by [[Kevin Kiermaier]]—the batted ball bounced off of the right field wall, the ground, and then off of [[Hunter Renfroe]] into the [[bullpen]]—which otherwise would have resulted in a Rays run, as [[Yandy Díaz]] was running from first base when the ball was hit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-ground-rule-double-in-13th-inning-explained |title=Ground-rule double in 13th causes confusion |first=Brian |last=Hoch |website=MLB.com |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/10/10/mastrodonato-red-sox-beat-the-rays-fair-and-square-but-not-without-the-bounce-of-a-lifetime/ |title=Red Sox beat the Rays fair and square, but not without the bounce of a lifetime |first=Jason |last=Mastrodonato |website=[[Boston Herald]] |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref> [[Christian Vázquez]] ended the game via a two-run [[walk-off home run]] off of Patiño in the bottom of the 13th.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay/_/gameId/401361950 |title=Rays vs. Red Sox – Play-By-Play |website=ESPN.com |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref>

Boston took a 2–1 lead in the series with a 6–4 win in a 13-inning Game 3. The Rays scored twice in the top of the first inning, via a two-run homer by [[Austin Meadows]]. The Red Sox got a run back in the bottom of the inning on a [[Kyle Schwarber]] solo homer. Boston went ahead, 3–2, on four consecutive singles that scored two runs in the bottom of the third, and extended the lead to 4–2 via a fifth-inning solo home run by [[Enrique Hernández (baseball)|Kiké Hernández]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/kike-hernandez-consecutive-hits-in-postseason |title=Kiké homers for historic 7th straight hit |first=Brian |last=Hoch |website=MLB.com |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref> In the top of the eighth, [[Wander Franco]] homered and [[Randy Arozarena]] hit an RBI double, both off of [[Hansel Robles]], as the Rays tied the game, 4–4. After a scoreless ninth inning, the game went to [[extra innings]]. [[Nick Pivetta]], expected to be Boston’s starting pitcher in Game 4, came on in relief and held the Rays scoreless in the top of the 10th, while the Rays’ [[David Robertson (baseball)|David Robertson]] held Boston scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Both Pivetta and Robertson stayed in the game and pitched a scoreless 11th inning. Pivetta again held the Rays scoreless in the top of the 12th, while [[Luis Patiño (baseball)|Luis Patiño]] held the Red Sox scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Pivetta pitched a fourth scoreless inning, the 13th, which included a [[ground-rule double]] by [[Kevin Kiermaier]]—the batted ball bounced off of the right field wall, the ground, and then off of [[Hunter Renfroe]] into the [[bullpen]]—which otherwise would have resulted in a Rays run, as [[Yandy Díaz]] was running from first base when the ball was hit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-ground-rule-double-in-13th-inning-explained |title=Ground-rule double in 13th causes confusion |first=Brian |last=Hoch |website=MLB.com |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/10/10/mastrodonato-red-sox-beat-the-rays-fair-and-square-but-not-without-the-bounce-of-a-lifetime/ |title=Red Sox beat the Rays fair and square, but not without the bounce of a lifetime |first=Jason |last=Mastrodonato |website=[[Boston Herald]] |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref> [[Christian Vázquez]] ended the game via a two-run [[walk-off home run]] off of Patiño in the bottom of the 13th.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay/_/gameId/401361950 |title=Rays vs. Red Sox – Play-By-Play |website=ESPN.com |date=October 10, 2021 |accessdate=October 10, 2021}}</ref>

====Game 4====

After two scoreless innings, Boston scored five runs in the bottom of the third, including a three-run homer by [[Rafael Devers]]. The Rays got one run back in the top of the fifth. In the top of the sixth, a two-run homer by [[Wander Franco]] cut Boston’s lead to 5–3. The Rays led off the top of the eighth with three consecutive hits off of [[Ryan Brasier]] to tie the game, 5–5.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay/_/gameId/401361952 |title=Rays vs. Red Sox – Play-By-Play |website=ESPN.com |date=October 11, 2021 |accessdate=October 11, 2021}}</ref>

==Season standings==

==Season standings==