Red Sox's Hector Velazquez: Takes first loss of season in spot start

Velazquez (7-1) took the loss Sunday against the Rays, allowing one run on three hits and three walks through four innings. He struck out two.

Making a spot start for the injured Chris Sale (shoulder), Velazquez held his own and limited the damage to a second-inning solo homer before handing the ball off to Brandon Workman prior to the fifth frame. The Red Sox failed to provide any run support, leaving Velazquez on the hook for his first loss of the season, but the 29-year-old pitched well enough to earn another spot start down the line should an opportunity arise. He owns a solid 2.74 ERA across 65.2 innings this season.