Well, it didn't look good early as five of the first six Rays reached based against starter Brian Johnson as Tampa jumped out to a 3-0 lead.
After that, it was all Xander Bogaerts (3-4, triple, two doubles, two RBI), Johnson (one hit allowed over his final 4.2 innings) and the bullpen (3.1 scoreless innings) as the Sox improved to 44-15 against the AFC Least, I mean AL East.
Game updates
10:04: Thornburg has the ninth and helps himself with a nice pick to get two outs after two batters. Another Devers chance to finish it off. BALLGAME.
9:45: Mallex, after a challenge, is safe on an infield single to lead off the inning ... and a hit-by-pitch. Ah yes, the Sox bullpen. ... Barnes goes up and away with the gas to record the first out. ... Pop out, two down. ... And a punchout on a curveball in the dirt gets Barnes out of that jam.
9:43: Barnes starts the eighth.
9:40: Wild pitch pads the lead ... RUN: Red Sox 7, Rays 3.
9:37: Bogaerts now has two doubles, a triple and 2 RBI as the Sox continue to pour it on against the Tampa Bay Area LL Rays.
9:34: Oh man, Bogaerts fouled a ball hard directly off his left shin. He's staying in.
9:30: After a Moreland wall ball, Martinez — who hasn't had the greatest night at the plate — singles him in. RUN: Red Sox 6, Rays 3.
9:35: Boom! A strike-them-out, throw-them-out double play by Brasier and Swihart. Remind me again why they would never let this guy play? And a really nice tag by Kinsler. Made it look routine and it wasn't.
9:19: After just a third of an inning from Hembree, Brasier is coming on for the seventh. ... and Kiermaier promptly leads off with a single. Here we go.
9:16: Bradley goes oppy with an RBI double off The Wall and Swihart motors all the way from first base. RUN: Red Sox 5, Rays 3.
8:59: Nunez has been a vacuum (as opposed to Devers) at third base tonight.
8:46: Moreland beats it past the drawn-in infield up the middle to give the Sox the lead. RUN: Red Sox 4, Rays 3.
8:43: Betts strokes a lead-off double high off the left-center wall ... Sox advance the runner to third with one out for the second-straight inning with a groundball by Benintendi.
8:38: One-out walk ends Johnson's streak at 11-straight batters retired but he retires the final two batters.
8:30: Nunez gets it done with a single down the left-field line. RUN: Rays 3, Red Sox 3.
8:25: Bogaerts puts a dent in The Wall with a double to go along with his triple to start the fourth. ... Reaches third on a fly ball to right by Kinsler to put the tying run on third with one out. The Rays have the infield in with three infielders on the left side.
8:23: Johnson sets them down on eight pitches and has retired 10-straight.
8:18: Sox retired on seven pitches.
8:13: Pham is robbed by Bradley with another outstanding play that sends him tumbling into the centerfield wall.
7:57: Chirinos starts the second as the Rays do their Little League pitching rotation. ... Smith in right field makes a great play along the right-field wall to rob Nunez but he pays the price with a rib shot. He'll stay in the game. ... Bradley singles with two outs but Betts strikes out.
7:52: Beauty of a play by both Nunez spinning and throwing at third, and Moreland making a great pick. ... Leads to a 1-2-3 inning as Johnson settles down.
7:47: Bogaerts is one of the rare players to get the ball past Kiermaier in center and goes all the way to third and plates two. Johnson has new life. RUNS: Rays 3, Red Sox 2. Kinsler grounds out to end it.
7:34: Benintendi singles with one out. ... Eventually reaches third and Martinez walks with two outs.
7:27: Wendle steals third and Nunez covers, which opens a spot for Gomez to single and plate another run. Dana LeVangie out already for a mound visit. ... Inning finally ends. RUN: Rays 3, Red Sox 0.
7:25: A two-out walk by Johnson to Pham is problematic as Cron doubles down the left-field line. Three of the first four Rays reached ... make it 4 of 5 as Wendle doubles in two. Not a good start. RUNS: Rays 2, Red Sox 0.
7:21: One pitch, one hit for the Rays ... but quickly erased on a double play.
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- Ian Kinsler, who has missed the past 11 games with a hamstring strain, was activated from the disabled list. Rafael Devers (hamstring) was placed on the DL retroactive to Thursday. He had been hitting .205 with two home runs and 21 strikeouts in 21 games since June. He's also continued to be shaky in the field.
- Eduardo Rodriguez will make a rehab start with Double-A Portland on Monday;
- Alex Cora thinks Steven Wright is close to starting a rehab assignment. He has resumed throwing bullpens.