Wright, Benintendi key Red Sox win

BOSTON — Steven Wright followed a spot start by working with former Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. He was much better this time. Andrew Benintendi backed Wright with a go-ahead, two-run single as the Red Sox scored three unearned runs following a dropped throw by second baseman Brad Miller to defeat the Rays 4-3 on Monday in the annual Patriots’ Day game.

Wright (1-1) allowed only one earned run and nine hits before being pulled after a leadoff single in the seventh. The knuckleballer gave up four homers over innings in his previous start.

Wakefield, who works with New England Sports Network, won 186 games with the Red Sox from 1995-2011.

“Anything can be better than the last start,” Wright said. “I was fortunate to have Wake here. I was talking to him constantly the last four or five days trying to get back to that timing and rhythm I had last year.”

The Red Sox won their third straight after losing the opener of the four-game series.

Ben Taylor gave up a runscoring single to Steven Souza Jr. with two outs in the seventh, 1 then retired Logan Morrison on a bases-loaded flyout. Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for a save on the third straight day, his sixth this season.

The Red Sox trailed 2-1 in the second when Miller dropped an easy toss from shortstop Tim Beckham for what would have been an inning-ending forceout on Marco Hernandez’s grounder. Benintendi’s single to center put the Red Sox ahead, and Mookie Betts singled for a 4-2 lead.

“Just didn’t catch the ball and it ended up costing us three runs and ended up being the difference in the game,” Miller said. “Just went in and came right out.”