Rafael Devers had three hits and three RBI and Bobby Dalbec homered for the fifth straight game to give the Red Sox a rare win over the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3.
The Rays had won five of six with the Sox this year and 12-of-14 dating back to July of 2019.
Devers cranked a two-run homer in the second, then snapped a 3-3 tie with a line single to right in the seventh, scoring with the go-ahead run.
The Red Sox used five different pitchers in the game and registered 17 strikeouts.
WHO: Red Sox (15-29) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (28-15)
WHEN: 6:40 p.m.
WHERE: Tropicana Field
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: TB 5-1
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Mike Kickham (1-0, 5.40) vs. LHP Josh Fleming (3-0, 3.52 )
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Verdugo RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Vazquez C
Munoz LF
Bradley CF
Dalbec 1B
Arroyo 2B
RAYS
Margot CF
Arozarena DH
Meadows LF
Brosseau 1B
Renfroe RF
Lowe 2B
Adames SS
Smith C
Wendle 3B
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
B7th: Red Sox are trying to get to the finish line here by matching up, and so far it's been pretty successful. Three innings from the bullpen and one run allowed in relief of Kickham.
T7th: Devers is about as hot now as he was last year from May through August last year -- hitting everything, everywhere, and hard, no matter where it's pitched. Sharp single to right scores Christian Arroyo from second.
T5th: Tough to lose worse than J.D. Martinez did in one at-bat -- flailing at consecutive sweeping sliders out of the zone, then unable to get around on an inside fastball.
T5th: Make it five homers in the last five games as Bobby Dalbec fishes out a changeup in the bottom of the zone and takes it to right-center. Impressive feat of strength again.
B4th: On consecutive pitches, Kickham hangs two breaking balls -- one slider, one curveball -- and pay for them with Hunter Renfroe and Brandon Lowe both going deep to CF, and tying the game for the Rays.
T3rd: Rafael Devers smacks his eighth homer in his last 21 games -- a towering shot just inside the field foul pole.
T3rd: Alex Verdugo has stayed on lefties well all season and does so again there, slapping a slider on the outside part of the plate into left field for the Red Sox' second hit.
B2nd: Weird game all around. Mike Kickham has struck out four, hit two, walked another, and the only hit off him was a weak comebacker that he couldn't cleanly field.
T2nd: Rays lefty Josh Fleming has succeeded in keeping Red Sox hitters off-balance in the early going, striking out four of the first six hitters.
B1st: Strange play -- to say the least -- as the Rays try a delayed steal as former Red Sox prospect Manuel Margot, who breaks late for third, losing a footrace to the bag to Rafael Devers.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- The Red Sox made a number of roster moves Thursday. They optioned INF Jose Peraza to the alternate training site. Peraza began the year as the team's second baseman, but after a strong start (four hits in the opener), Peraza slashed .198/.252/.302 and had just eight extra-base hit in his next 106 at-bats. 'It started out OK and then just lately, hasn't swung like we had hoped,'' said Ron Roenicke. "A lot of it, too, is where we are in the standings. We would like to see some of the younger guys we had (at the alternate training site). It allows us to see (Yairo) Munoz, it allows us to see (Christian) Arroyo more, allows us to see (Bobby) Dalbec. It's tough. I've known Jose for a while and for somebody who's been in the big leagues for quite a few years and it's tough when you have send somebody out. Such a nice guy -- works hard, ready to play all the time, play multiple positions. So that's a difficult conversation.''
- RHP Austin Price was placed on the 10-day IL with a right lat strain, retroactive to Wednesday. Meanwhile, shortly before gametime, the Red Sox also placed RHP Zach Godley on the IL with a right elbow strain. In his place, LHP Matt Hall was recalled.
- The Sox recalled RHP Dylan Covey and Robert Stock from the alternate training site.
- RHP Nathan Eovladi, who threw a bullpen Wednesday in Philadelphia and came through it well, according to manager Ron Roenicke. Eovaldi has missed several weeks with a calf strain, but felt no soreness in the area. "We have a decision where to slip him back in. It could be this series. We'll take about it more after tonight's game and figure out where that is.''
- Roenicke confirmed that RHP Tanner Houck is with the Sox as part of their traveling taxi squad and could see a start or an appearance this weekend.
- The Sox have 16 games remaining and every one of them will be against a playoff contender. Xander Bogaerts said the Sox can now play the role of spoiler. "That will definitely be a way to keep it a bit fun,'' said Bogaerts. "We don't play to lose, but this is the position we're in right now. But I think playing spoiler is great. The pressure is on them. Those guys are the the ones that need to win, they need to win now and they need to win every game. The pressure's off for us now. We have some teams who are contending, so I think that's a good way to go about it -- have some fun and make the other team mad. Hopefully, we have a good ending to a rough season. Hopefully, we enjoy these last couple of weeks.''