Rays win 8th in row, sweep Red Sox

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Blake Snell had his best fastball, and that was more than enough against baseball’s best team.

The All-Star lefty pitched twohit ball over six innings and the Rays won their eighth straight game Sunday, saddling the major-league-leading Red Sox with their first sweep of the season in a 9-1 outcome.

“There was a lot of energy,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said, “but the guy on the mound sucked it up.”

Snell (16-5) allowed one run and struck out eight. He has given up no more than one earned run in 14 consecutive starts at home, and he has a 1.08 ERA in four outings against the Red Sox this year.

“I almost have to tell myself to wake up over there,” Rays third baseman Matt Duffy said. “He’s so good I feel like I don’t even have to do much. I’ve got a really good seat for the game. When he pitches, I go, ‘OK, wake up, the ball might come your way — if they make contact with it.’ ”

The Red Sox (90-42) have lost six of eight and were outscored 24-5 in the three-game series.

“For us to do it against ... Boston, the best team in the league right now, to be able to do that to them says a lot about our team,” Snell said. “I’m excited to be in this clubhouse with these guys.”

Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi, acquired from the Rays in a trade July 25, gave up hits to the first three batters he faced and trailed 2-0. Kevin Kiermaier’s two-run triple was the fourth hit off Eovaldi in a three-run third that gave the Rays a 5-0 lead.

“They’re a very streaky team,” Eovaldi said. “They’ve had their ups and downs. Right now they’re swinging the bats as well as anybody. The pitching has been pretty good all year.”