Duran’s go-ahead single in 9th lifts Red Sox past Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jarren Duran had a tiebreaking RBI single in the ninth and the COVID-19 impacted Boston Red Sox stopped the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays’ nine-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.

Boston infielder Yairo Munoz became the latest Boston player to test positive for the coronavirus. Eight Boston players and two coaches have either had a positive test or are considered close contacts since last Friday.

Rafael Devers opened the ninth with a single off Pete Fairbanks (3-5) , the sixth Rays pitcher, and went to second on

Alex Verdugo’s one-out infield hit. After Christian Vazquez struck out, Duran made it 3-2 on his single to right.

Garrett Whitlock (7-2) went two scoreless innings before Adam Ottavino worked the ninth to get his 11th save.

Rays rookie Wander Franco homered off Chris Sale, extending his on-base streak to 32 games. He is one game away from tying Hall of Famers Mel Ott (1929) and Arky Vaughn (1932) for the third-longest stretch for a player under 21.

Sale made his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery, allowing two runs and six hits over a season-high six innings. In addition to inducing three double plays, the lefty struck out three, walked two and hit two batters.

Vazquez homered, drove in two runs and made a nifty defensive play for the Red Sox. Boston started the day one game up on Oakland in the second AL wild-card race.

Franco’s third-inning, two-run opposite-field drive to right gave the Rays a 2-1 lead.

Vazquez tied at 2-2 on his seventh-inning homer off Collin McHugh, who has allowed just two earned runs in his last 382⁄3 innings.

Verdugo tripled when the ball got past a diving Manuel Margot in center in the second and scored on Vazquez’s single.

Vazquez made a nice scoop on Devers’ thrown and tagged out Joey Wendle as he tried to score on Randy Arozarena’s seventh-inning grounder.

Jonathan Arauz threw out Franco when he attempted to score on Margot’s grounder in the eighth.

Kyle Schwarber had a two-out single in the fifth but Vazquez was easily thrown out trying to score from second by Arozarena in right.

MOVING DAY

Red Sox: RHP Ryan Brasier (left calf) and OF Danny Santana (left groin) returned from the IL. …. INF Jack Lopez and RHP John Schreiber had their contracts purchased from Triple-A Worcester.

UP NEXT

Boston LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (10-7) and Rays LHP Shane McClanahan (9-4) are Thursday night’s starters.