Caleb Durbin blows the game for Red Sox with brutal baserunning blunder

Making matters even worse for Durbin was that Duran proceeded to smack a triple in his at-bat (but was stranded at third after Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded out to end the half-inning). While Duran’s triple would have allowed Durbin to waltz home if he had simply stayed put, the baserunning error left the game tied and opened the door for the Rays to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning on a walkoff RBI single by Richie Palacios.

It is hard to tell exactly what Durbin was thinking there. He was already in scoring position and also had a left-handed batter up at the plate (meaning that the catcher had an obstructed throw to third base). Though Durbin has stolen 19 bases so far this season, that was simply a risk completely unnecessary for him to take in that situation.

On the bright side, the 84-71 Red Sox do look to be locked into the second AL Wild Card spot at this point, which would have them open up the playoffs against the rival New York Yankees. But these are the types of moments that explain why Boston is a Wild Card team to begin with (similar to the time that they cost themselves four runs by botching a single challenge).