They needed something to ignite them -- an energy shift from what had been a deflating few days.\n\nMaybe the ignitor was Martín Pérez, who gave the Red Sox the type of performance (5 innings, 4 hits, 0 ER, 4 K’s) they’ve lacked so often from the mound this season in guiding the club to a 5-0 victory over the Rays on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. The win snapped a four-game losing skid.\n\nOr maybe it was
Perhaps it was
“Whenever you spend less time on the field than you do in the dugout, that’s obviously a lot better. You’re off your feet and everybody feels better physically,” said Chavis. “The way he was attacking the zone tonight, he doesn’t really let up. He didn’t really show any fear. Just bringing that momentum into the dugout every inning was great. It just helps get the momentum going.”\n\nBut the first surge of momentum the dugout truly felt was after Verdugo finished rounding the bases.\n\n“That was big,” said Roenicke. “It doesn't seem like we have leads at all. He was pretty happy.”\n\nComing over as the biggest piece in the trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers is pressure enough for Verdugo. But he also had the added element of coming back from the stress fracture in his back that ended his 2019 season in August. It shouldn’t be particularly surprising that he managed just a .550 OPS heading into Wednesday’s game.\n\nNor should it surprise anyone if he starts to heat up now that he’s getting his legs under him.\n\n“I was just late, starting late, everything like that. The speed, like the pitches, everything was speeding up on me,” Verdugo said. “You know, I just kind of went to being a little bit calmer and starting a little bit earlier. I’m starting to see the ball better, I’m starting to put better swings on the ball.”\n\nWith a bundle of energy and a dynamic skill set, Verdugo has the chance to have a big impact on the Boston lineup.\n\n“I mean, we need that guy. He’s got amazing talent, and I think he just needed to believe more in himself, and good things are coming,” said Pérez. “I know it’s hard when you’re not hitting good and you’re not pitching good, but I think when hard times come is when you need to believe a little bit more, and he’s getting there. As soon as he gets hot, we’re going to be fine.”
Chavis was another one off to a slow start, as evidenced by his .468 OPS entering the finale at Tropicana Field. But Roenicke has continued to plug him in there against lefties, even though Mitch Moreland has been red-hot in his half of the first-base platoon.\n\n“It’s kind of a weird situation,” Chavis said. “I know the numbers showed up today and the results were there. But I felt a lot better than the results have been lately. I know when I pinch-hit the other night \\[Tuesday\\], I had two groundouts, but I felt like I put good swings on them. I hit the barrel. I’m trying to stay focused on the process, and I feel good about how things are going.”\n\nIf Wednesday’s well-rounded win can serve as a momentum-starter, the Red Sox will soon feel a lot better about how things are going.\n\n**Up next**
The Red Sox will return home on Friday night at Fenway Park, where they kick off a seven-game homestand. Righty Ryan Weber, who didn't make it out of the fourth inning in his first two starts, will try to have a rebound performance against the Blue Jays. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, live on MLB.TV.