Rays 9, Red Sox 6
Ben Zobrist hit a grand slam and knocked in five runs as the host Tampa Bay Rays snapped the Boston Red Sox’ six-game winning streak with a 9-6 victory on Friday night.
David Price (9-7) allowed three runs on five hits in six innings and struck out seven as Tampa Bay won the first game of a three-game series to move to within five games of the American League East division-leading Red Sox. Kyle Farnsworth pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 18th save.
Boston belted four homers. Darnell McDonald, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury all hit solo shots, and Marco Scutaro added a two-run blast which cut the deficit to 9-6 in the seventh.
Casey Kotchman hit a two-run homer, and Sean Rodriguez had three hits and two RBIs for the Rays.
Andrew Miller (3-1) allowed seven runs on five hits and five walks in 2 2/3 innings to suffer his first loss with the Red Sox.
Boston designated hitter David Ortiz went 0-for-4. Ortiz was able to play after appealing a four-game suspension for his part in a bench-clearing brawl against the Baltimore Orioles on July 8.