Snell tosses 6 scoreless innings to propel Tampa to victory

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Blake Snell threw six scoreless innings, Wilson Ramos drove in two runs, and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Boston Red Sox 6-3 on Thursday night.

Snell (6-3) allowed three hits, walked two and struck out eight. The left-hander is 2-0 in three starts against Boston this season, giving up two runs and 11 hits in 19 innings.

Mitch Moreland hit a solo homer and Rafael Devers had an RBI double off Matt Andriese in the ninth as Boston got within three runs. But, Alex Colome retired Sandy Leon on a two-out grounder with Devers on second to get his 11th save.

Red Sox starter Rick Porcello (6-2) last just 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs — four earned — and eight hits. He threw 92 pitches.

Boston (34-16) dropped to 9-4 against the Rays this year.

The Rays took a 5-0 lead after two innings, helped by a pair of Boston miscues.

Denard Span scored the first of two runs during the first when Leon was charged with an error for dropping Porcello’s throw home on Ramos’ basesloaded comebacker. Brad Miller added a sacrifice fly.

Ramos had a bases-loaded two-run single in second that also saw Matt Duffy score a third run from first base when right fielder Mookie Betts picked up an error for an errant throw back to the infield.

Duffy put Tampa Bay up 6-0 on a third-inning RBI single.

TRAINER’S ROOM: Red Sox: RHP Hector Velazquez (strained lower back) was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list and LHP Bobby Poyner was optioned

to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Rays: OF Carlos Gomez (strained right hamstring) will play at extended spring training Friday and could return by Sunday.

DUSTIN’S DAY: 2B Dustin Pedroia will be activated by the Red Sox on Friday after missing Boston’s first 50 games while recovering from knee surgery.

DISAPPEARING ACT: Span stayed in the game in the fourth after falling into the front-row seats in the left-field corner attempting to catch Moreland’s foul ball. He was briefly out of view behind the wall before getting up and returning to the playing field. He also went over the wall on a foul drive by Devers in the ninth.

Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Blake Snell shut down the Boston offense for 6 innings on Thursday.

Chris O'Meara / Associated Press Tampa Bay’s Willy Adames, top, dives for a wild throw from first baseman Brad Miller as Boston’s Eduardo Nunez slides into third base during the seventh inning on Thursday.