Rays finish off sweep of the Red Sox
Rays 17 Red Sox 8
Boston — Hunter Renfroe hit two homers and drove in three runs, Mike Zunino belted a three-run shot over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park and the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the struggling Boston Red Sox 17-8 on Thursday to complete a four-game series sweep.
It was the sixth straight win for the Rays (12-8), who posted their eighth consecutive victory in Fenway. Tampa Bay won for the 12th time in its last 14 games against Boston.
Brandon Lowe added a solo homer during a fiverun third inning that chased starter Kyle Hart (0-1), who was making his major-league debut.
Manuel Margot had his second four-hit game of the series, Willy Adames had three hits and two RBIs, and Yoshi Tsutsugo had two hits and two RBIs for the Rays, who posted season-highs in runs and hits (19). Zunino drove in four runs.
Kevin Plawecki had a two-run double and three RBIs for Boston, and Rafael Devers made three throwing errors after a first-inning RBI single. The Red Sox (6-13), who own the AL's worst record, have lost four straight.
Even a “drone delay” in the third, didn't stop the Rays' offense. The game was delayed for about four minutes by a drone flying outside the park beyond the right-field bleachers.
With Tsutsugo at the plate, players on the field and the umpires pointed to where it was. The Rays' two runners on base left the field and Boston's fielders headed to their dugout area, too. The umpires walked off, waiting on the track near Boston's dugout.
When play resumed, Tsutsugo, the last batter Hart faced, lined an RBI single to right.
Hart gave up seven runs — five earned — in two-plus innings. Rays starter Tyler Glasnow went four innings, giving up five runs on eight hits, striking out eight and walking two.
Jalen Beeks (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings in relief and was credited with the win. Athony Banda pitched three innings for his first career save.
Mop-up moves
Infielder José Peraza pitched the ninth for Boston, but had to leave after getting hit on the leg by Lowe's hard grounder.
Plawecki then moved from catcher to pitcher, getting the final two outs, and Tzu-Wei Lin took over behind the plate. It was Lin's first-ever time catching professionally.
Trainer's room
Red Sox: SS Xander Bogaerts had the day off. Manager Ron Roenicke said: “He's got some stuff going on in his lower half, some fatigue there.” He expects him back in the lineup Friday against the Yankees.