Red Sox swept for first time this season

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 two-hit ball over six innings and the Tampa Bay Rays won their eighth straight game Sunday, beating Boston 9-1 to hand the major league-leading Red Sox their first sweep of the season.

“There was a lot of energy today,” Boston 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. He’s so good I feel like I don’t even have to do much,” Rays third baseman Matt Duffy said. “I’m just kind of chillin’ over there. 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.’”

Boston (90-42) has lost six of eight and was outscored 24-5 in the threegame set.

Duffy had three hits and drove in two runs for the surprising Rays, who completed their first undefeated homestand of more than one series. They won all seven games against the Royals and Red Sox, and are nine games above .500 (70-61) for the first time since June 2015.

“For us to do it against Kansas City and then 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 July 25 trade, gave up hits to the first three batters he faced and fell behind 2-0.

Kevin Kiermaier’s tworun triple was the fourth hit off Eovaldi in a threerun third that left Tampa Bay with a 5-0 lead.