The Boston Red Sox (50-48) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (56-42) 6-1 on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park. With the win, the Red Sox have won 13 in a row, and handed the Rays a four-game sweep in the first series out of the All-Star Break.
Victor Mesa Jr. hit an inside-the-park home run in the top of the second inning to get the Rays off to a good start, From there, the Rays offense was shut down by the Red Sox pitching, led by Sonny Gray (12-1, 2.48). Gray allowed just the one earned run on five hits in six innings in which he struck out five and walked four. A combination of Greg Weissart, Jovani Moran and Ryan Watson combined to secure the win.
The Red Sox answered the home run with a RBI double from Andruw Monasterio in the second to tie the game 1-1. They then got three runs in the third and two in the fifth to take control of the game. All the runs came off Rays starter Shane McClanahan (8-6, 3.07) who allowed all six runs - four of them earned - on five hits in five innings of work in which he struck out three and walked three.
The Rays now head to Toronto and will begin a four-game series against the Blue Jays coming up on Monday night. Nick Martinez (8-2, 2.65) got the start for the Rays and face Dylan Cease (6-4, 2.56) for the the Blue Jays. First pitch between the Rays and Blue Jays is scheduled for 7:07 PM - pregame coverage begins with Inside Pitch at 6:00 PM on 95.7 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES
