The Tampa Bay Rays used five pitchers Sunday afternoon to combine for a two hit shutout, to lead the visitors to a 2-0 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park to salvage the final game of a three game series.
Joey Wendle hit a solo homer off Boston starter Hector Valazquez in the top of the second inning, and CJ Cron added another solo homer off Matt Barnes in the ninth for the only scoring. Andrew Beninitendi had a single and Xander Bogaerts had a double for the only two hits for the Sox, who go to 88-37. Ji-Man Choi and Matt Duffy had the only other Tampa Bay (63-61) hits.
Valazquez (7-1) lost a game for first time since last May, allowing one run, three hits, three walks, with one strikeout in 4.0 innings. Brandon Workman, Joe Kelly, and Heath Hembree kept it a 1-0 game with four innings of scoreless and hitless baseball before Cron took Barnes deep in the ninth. Tampa got 1.2 innings out of starter Diego Castillo, and former Sox prospect Jalen Beeks (2-1) pitched the next 4.0 innings of one hit ball to earn the win. Chaz Roe and Jose Alvarado each got a hold, their 21st and 24th respectively on the season. Sergio Romo got his 16th save with a perfect ninth inning.
Boston opens up a four game series at Fenway with the American League Central leading Cleveland Indians Monday night at 7:10. The game one pitching matchup features the last two A.L. Cy Young Award winners, with Rick Porcello going for the Sox and Corey Kluber taking the hill for the Tribe.
