Rays 8, Red Sox 4
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Late-inning rallies have been few and far between for the Tampa Bay Rays this season, but they rallied for five runs in the eighth inning Friday, surprising the Boston Red Sox with an 8-4 win to open a 10-game home stand at Tropicana Field.
Boston (66-74) enjoyed its own rally for a 4-3 lead in the sixth after chasing Rays starter Chris Archer, but Tampa Bay answered in the eighth with three straight hits off Red Sox reliever Junichi Tuzawa. Third baseman Evan Longoria doubled, second baseman Logan Forsythe tied the game with an RBI single, and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run home run -- his 12th of the season -- for the 6-4 lead. If that wasn't enough, catcher J.P. Arencibia added another two-run home run before the inning was over.
The Rays (69-71) were 5-53 this season when trailing after seven innings, and the win helps keep alive their wild-card hopes, though Texas' win Friday keeps them five games back and behind four teams for the second wild card in the American League.
The Red Sox chased Archer with no outs in the sixth after 108 pitches, and Rays reliever Enny Romero allowed both inherited runners to score, on an RBI double by first baseman Travis Shaw and an infield single by third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Brandon Gomes replaced Romero, but gave up a sacrifice fly to catcher Ryan Hanigan for a 4-3 Boston lead.
The Rays threatened in the seventh, with center fielder Kevin Kiermaier hitting a leadoff double and advancing on a wild pitch to put the tying run at third with no outs. But after a strikeout, Rays designated hitter Brandon Guyer hit a weak grounder to third base and Kiermaier tried to score, with Sandoval throwing home for the easy out.
Given another chance in the eighth, the Rays capitalized off reliever Junichi Tazawa. Boston starter Wade Miley lasted seven innings, keeping the Rays scoreless in the last six after falling behind 3-1 in the first inning.
The Rays jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first inning, getting hits from their first three batters against Red Sox starter Wade Miley.
Brandon Guyer, playing designated hitter for just the second time this season, led off with a double and scored on an RBI single by rookie left fielder Mikie Mahtook. Mahtook took second on an error and scored on an RBI double by third baseman Evan Longoria, who then scored on a two-out RBI single by outfielder Steven Souza in his first at-bat in six weeks after coming off the disabled list.
Boston had struck first for a 1-0 lead in the first off Rays starter Chris Archer, getting a two-out single from shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who then scored on a double by designated hitter David Ortiz. Archer put two on with a walk, but got out of the inning by striking out third baseman Pablo Sandoval.
From there, Archer dominated, striking out the side in the second and third innings -- his seven straight strikeouts matched a Rays record, set by Andy Sonnanstine in 2007.
NOTES: The Rays got OF Steven Souza back after missing six weeks with a fractured left hand. He came off the 15-day disabled list and started in right field, batting sixth. He's still within two home runs (15) of the American League rookie lead -- Houston's Carlos Correa has 17 -- despite missing 45 games with injuries. ... The Red Sox claimed RHP Roman Mendez off waivers from the Texas Rangers, and he was active for Friday night's game. To make room on the 40-man roster, Boston transferred RHP Koji Uehara to the 60-day disabled list. ... Tampa Bay OF Desmond Jennings (knee), C Curt Casali (hamstring) and LHP Jake McGee (left knee) are all making progress. Rays manager Kevin Cash expects Jennings and Casali both back by the end of the Rays' 10-game home stand, and McGee threw off the mound Friday and will take another bullpen session Sunday. ... Boston OF Mookie Betts now has a 16-game hitting streak, the longest active in MLB and the longest for the Red Sox since Jacoby Ellsburgy had a 19-game streak in 2013.