It wasn't nearly as dramatic as the comeback the Red Sox had when Tampa Bay was earlier this month and the Sox managed a six-run rally in the eighth, but it will do. The Sox spotted Tampa a 3-0 lead before rallying for three in the sixth to tie it, then adding another run in the eighth for a 4-3 victory.
Sandy Leon, who had three hits all season before his final at-bat, singled just inside the third base line, scoring J.D. Martinez (four hits) with the go-ahead run.
Craig Kimbrel, who got the final out in the eighth then pitched the ninth, got the win in relief of Rick Porcello, who allowed three runs in 7.2 innings, throwing 116 pitches. He had to get out of a second-and-third, one-out jam to close the game out.
In the sixth, the Sox loaded the bases and scored on an RBI-single by Martinez, a bases-loaded walk to Mitch Moreland and a sacrifice fly by Jackie Bradley Jr.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Rays
WHEN: 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have hit their first skid of the season, dropping five of their last seven games, while losing two of the last three series. They'll look to avoid a sweep in today's series finale. The Rays, meanwhile, are on a terrific run, with an eight-game winning streak, the longest for the franchise since 2014. During this run, the Rays have outscored opponents 63-34.
STARTING PITCHING: Rick Porcello (4-0, 1.93) vs. Matt Andriese (0-0, 5.40).
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
3:40 Ultimately, it didn't cost the Sox, but that inning featured another misplay by Martinez left field. The double by Joey Wendle -- hit over his head, but certainly catchable - was one more example of why it's not a good idea to play him in the outfield as much as the Red Sox have. Today, they're down an outfielder (with Mookie Betts sidelined with a hamstring), but it should be an occasional thing and not, as it's been, three or four times per week.
3:25 It's a measure of the Red Sox depleted bullpen that Rick Porcello is being sent back out for the eighth. He's at 102 pitches after seven and ordinarily, that would be it. But with the Sox short a man because of the suspension to Joe Kelly, Heath Hembree used each of the last two days and both Hector Velazquez and Brian Johnson having made multi-inning appearances in this series already, Alex Cora is pushing the envelope some.
3:04 A big inning for the Sox, who use three hits and two walks to score three times and tie up the game. But they also failed to cash in for more, and for the second time in the last two days, leave the bases loaded. Earlier in the year, the Sox weren't squandering those opportunities.
2:27 Porcello has pitched pretty well, other than the two-run homer allowed to Span in the third. He's gotten seven of his 15 outs on the ground, thanks to a good two-seamer today.
2:16 Hanley Ramirez plunked by a pitch, and not happy about it. Some words with catcher Jesus Sucre as he walks to first and some glares at pitcher Matt Andriese. Not sure what that's about, really.
2:12 Outstanding play by Tampa second baseman Joey Wendle, who times a leap perfectly to take a base hit from Andrew Benintendi.
1:46 Porcello left a changeup over the middle of the plate on a 1-and-1 pitch and Denard Span hit it out. The Rays have hit eight homers in 21 innings in this series.
1:12 For every sloppy error or errant throw on a routine play, Rafael Devers seems capable of that kind of play -- diving to his left to take a hit away from C.J. Cron.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Nunez 2B
Benintendi CF
Ramirez DH
Martinez LF
Moreland 1B
Devers 3B
Bradley RF
Leon C
Lin SS
RAYS
Span LF
Cron DH
Wendle 2B
Miller 1B
Robertson 3B
Smith CF
Hechavarria SS
Sucre C
Field RF
NEWS AND NOTES
- Mookie Betts, who came out of Saturday's game with a tight hamstring, is out of the lineup again and is considered day-to-day.
- Xander Bogaerts is also out, but that had been planned after he came off the DL Friday.
- Tyler Thornburg will begin a rehab assignment at Pawtucket tomorrow.
- Marco Hernandez (shoulder) traveled to Fort Myers to take part in extended spring training.
- Dustin Pedroia took part in his first game in extended spring training Friday, playing three innings