No hits through nine. Take the lead in the 10th on the very first knock. Head into the bottom of the 10th with a two-run cushion. Get two outs. Then watch the wheels fall off in bizarre fashion on the way to a 3-2 walk-off loss to the Rays.
Surprising. Not surprising. If any of this was going to happen to the Red Sox it was likely going to take place at Tropicana Field.
When the previous night's defensive hero, Trevor Story, stumbled on what should have been a game-ending grounder - resulting in an errant throw that set the stage for Kevin Kiermaier's two-run walk-off homer - it simply added the list.
When the Red Sox come to Tropicana Field, they are going to usually be leaving with a pretty memorable story to tell.
It's not difficult for the memories to instantly pop up, starting in 2003 when Carl Crawford ruined Theo Epstein's general-managing debut with an Opening Day walk-off. (That, of course, was the day cold water was splashed on Epstein's bullpen-by-committee thanks to a five-run ninth inning.)
In between the wave of cowbells, there have seemingly been plenty of those sort of out-of-nowhere home run daggers, with Kiermaier. Proof? The Red Sox are ugly 48-for-76 in save opportunities at The Trop during that 19-year span.
The unexpected homers and errant execution have been just part of the circus.
One time the game stopped while security held a Red Sox' fan's head against the dugout, pressing a taser gun on his temple. There was the bizarre 20-minute umpire delay while they tried to figure out the batting order a few years ago. And where else can writer's finish up their stories while the lead singer of Three Dog Night belts out "Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog" to 30 fans who decided to stay in their first-base-side seats.
It also hasn't been all against the Red Sox either, with Andrew Benintendi making a spectacular catch along side the third base side wall thanks in large part to a catering table that he balanced on, keeping him in play.
And then there are those catwalks. Baseball's obstacle course.
If you want to top off the narrative, then understand that the hotel the team usually resides in - The Vinoy - is believed to be haunted, with former Red Sox pitcher Scott Williamson going into great detail about the ghost who came to his room.
In this latest bit of chaos, the Red Sox only have themselves to blame. Snuffleupagus didn't jump out of the turf and trip Story. And the air conditioning (which is the impetus for the slanted roof) didn't push Hansel Roble's pitch out into Kiermaier's swing plane.
But if something was going to happen like we witnessed Saturday night, there was a good chance the Red Sox were playing in St. Petersburg.
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