Manager John Farrell said he expects Kelly to have a full set of tests on his shoulder, and that the Boston Red Sox may make an additional roster move after the long night for the bullpen Tuesday.
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First, when Kelly walked two of the first three batters and fell behind Corey Dickerson 3-and-0.
He threw 23 pitches. Desmond Jennings stroked a two-run double after Travis Shaw made a two-out error in the 10th.
Rotation depth is not an area of strength for the Red Sox, who entered play with the seventh-worst ERA and eighth-fewest innings pitched from their starters.
Smyly allowed one hit over eight innings and struck out 11 for the second straight start.
Robbie Ross Jr. was next in line for Boston in this bullpen game, and he continued right where Hembree left off. Ross was efficient and dominant against Tampa’s hitters, striking out four batters in his three innings of work while allowing only a two-out single to Logan Forsythe in the top of the fifth.
Meanwhile, other than that third inning hiccup, Smyly breezed his way through the Red Sox lineup. The Sox were held to one hit in a game for the first time since August 30, 2014, when Tampa Bay’s Jake Odorizzi and two relievers pulled the trick.
But Smyly got Mookie Betts to ground to third, with Evan Longoria throwing home for the out. Chris Young and Ryan Hanigan began the inning with consecutive walks, and then Bradley’s single loaded the bases. The Red Sox still had the bases loaded for Dustin Pedroia, but Smyly got out of the jam by getting Pedroia to ground into a double play.
After striking out Curt Casali swinging for the first out, he walked Logan Forsythe who then stole second. But Kelly came back to strike out Dickerson on three mighty hacks.
Craig Kimbrel was called upon in a tie game in the top of the ninth, and although he hit Jennings on the hand with one out, he was able to get out of the frame unscathed. Kelly’s ERA touches on four figures and now an injury clouds his immediate future with Boston.
The Red Sox didn’t have a baserunner thereafter, with Smyly and relievers Erasmo Ramirez and Alex Colome combining to retire the final 23 batters. The Sox righty recorded two outs in the first inning against the Rays at Fenway Park. He struck out four.
Kiermaier drove a 2-2 pitch from Barnes deep into the stands in right field for the first run of the game on just the fourth hit of the night for the Rays.
– What a night for the Red Sox’s pitching.
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That was the only inning in which Smyly allowed a base runner.
