Red Sox make the worst kind of MLB history with trifecta of hat tricks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox did something Wednesday that had never been done before in the history of Major League Baseball (at least dating back to 1901, when these records begin).
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That wasn’t a good thing, though.
The Red Sox leadoff hitter struck out in his first three plate appearances.
Their No. 2 hitter struck out in his first three plate appearances.
And the guy in the 3-spot struck out in his first three plate appearances.
That had never happened before, ever, in MLB.
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Jarren Duran was batting leadoff and struck out thrice before a hit in his last at bat.
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Ceddanne Rafaela also struck out his first three times, then belted a three-run home run his fourth time.
Wilyer Abreu struck out the first three times up, then made an out his fourth time.
The Red Sox tried to rally, but the Tampa Bay Rays prevailed, 7-5.
Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen struck out 13 batters in 7.0 scoreless innings while allowing two hits and one walk. He was dominant.
The Red Sox simply couldn’t handle Rasmussen, in a historically negative way.
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AL East standings
After the Rays beat the Red Sox, and the Yankees beat the Guardians also on Wednesday afternoon, the AL East standings continued to take shape.
Tampa Bay maintains a tie atop with the Yanks.
The Red Sox are in the basement:
Boston is playing like a last-place team, that’s for sure.
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