Moreland quickly fitting in with Red Sox
First baseman drives in three runs in win over Rays
BOSTON — Mitch Moreland feels like he's fit right in with the Boston Red Sox.
Moreland hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh inning and drove in three runs, helping the Red Sox rally to a 7-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Boston trailed 5-4 before loading the bases against Danny Farquhar (0-1), and Moreland singled off left-hander Xavier Cedeno, who already has blown three leads this season.
“The group of guys in here just make it easy,” Moreland said. “It's been a smooth transition. When you have that, you get pretty comfortable, pretty quick.”
Moreland, signed as a free agent to a $5.5 million, one-year deal, has gone 16 for 33 after opening hitless in 12 at-bats.
“He's put together a number of quality atbats of late,” Boston manager John Farrell said.
Red Sox slugger Hanley Ramirez advanced from first to second on Moreland's hit and limped off with what Boston called a left hamstring cramp.
“I'll be fine,” Ramirez said. “I'll be in there tomorrow.”
Pablo Sandoval had a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who won their second straight after losing five of eight. Mookie Betts and Christian Vazquez each had three hits.
Vazquez added an RBI double in the eighth against Austin Pruitt.
Joe Kelly (2-0) allowed one hit in 2 2/3 scoreless innings, and Craig Kimbrel struck out two in a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
Brad Miller had a two-run triple, and Tim Beckham and Corey Dickerson hit solo homers for the Rays, who have lost five of six heading into Monday morning's Patriots' Day finale of the four-game series.
Tampa Bay had taken a 3-0 lead in the first.
“It's been a smooth transition. When you have that, you get pretty comfortable, pretty quick.” – Mitch Moreland
“It was a little bit of a frustrating loss,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We had a few opportunities, but were unable to hold the lead.”
Beckham homered in the fifth for a 5-4 lead against starter Drew Pomeranz, who allowed five runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.
Sandoval had tied the score 4-4 in the third when he homered off Alex Cobb, who gave up four runs and 11 hits in five innings. Panda jumped a couple of times to celebrate with teammates on his way back to the dugout.
“It was a weird one,” Cobb said. “Some situations that I put myself into or things didn't go your way happened.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi went on the 10-day DL, a day after he strained his left hamstring. RHP Chase Whitley was recalled from Triple-A Durham.
Red Sox: CF Jackie Bradley Jr., on the 10-day DL with a sprained right knee, is scheduled to start in pair of games at Triple-A Pawtucket during an injury rehabilitation assignment before he is activated. ... Dustin Pedroia fouled a ball off his left ankle, limped around but stayed in the game.