Red Sox beat AL East-leading Rays 4-3 in 11 to finish sweep
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Boston Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.
Rafael Devers singled off Jose Alvarado (0-2) to start the 11th and went to second when Michael Chavis walked.
Both runners moved up a base on Jackie Bradley’s sacrifice bunt and Vazquez followed with his fly that Kevin Kiermaier ran down in center field.
Marcus Walden (3-0) allowed an infield hit over two scoreless innings and Ryan Brasier worked the 11th to get his sixth save.
After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the defending World Series champions are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.
Tommy Pham, picked off first base by catcher Vazquez to end Saturday night’s 6-5 loss to the Red Sox, got the Rays even at 3-all on his eighth-inning solo homer off Matt Barnes.
Boston went ahead 3-2 on Xander Bogaerts two-run single off Chaz Roe during the sixth.
Rays starter Tyler Glasnow, bidding to open the season with five consecutive wins, was pulled after Mookie Betts singled with one out in the sixth.
After Adam Kolarek walked the only batter he faced, Roe entered and walked J.D. Martinez before Bogaerts lined a first-pitch single to right center.
Glasnow, who entered with an AL-best 1.13 ERA, allowed two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Daniel Robertson put the Rays up 2-0 on a two-out, two-run double off David Price in the third. It was just his third hit in 28 at-bats.
Price struck out 10 in five innings. The one-time Tampa Bay ace gave up two runs, five hits and walked two during an 100-pitch outing.
Boston pulled within 2-1 on Mitch Moreland’s team-leading seventh homer in the fourth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Moreland was in the lineup after leaving Saturday’s game with back spasms.
Rays: RF Austin Meadows went on the 10-day injured list with a strained right thumb. … Ace Blake Snell (fractured right fourth toe) is expected to have his second bullpen session Tuesday.
MARTINEZ MAGIC
Martinez had an infield single in the first inning, giving him a hit in 21 of 22 games this season, including an active 11-game streak. He then swiped second for his 23rd stolen base in 944 career games.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale (0-4) will face Detroit LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1) when Boston begins a 10-game homestand on Monday night. Sale has allowed 17 runs and 23 hits over 18 innings in his four starts this season.
Rays: Will have an unannounced reliever start against Kansas City RHP Brad Keller (2-1) on Monday night. Tampa Bay went 7-0 against the Royals last season.
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