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Abreu and Wong both drive in 2 runs, Red Sox beat Tampa Bay Rays 8-5 to complete a three-game sweep

Published  May 22, 2024 10:39pm EDT
Tampa Bay Rays
Associated Press

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Wilyer Abreu and Connor Wong both drove in two runs, Brayan Bello overcome a tough second to go six innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-5 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

    Boston swept the Rays on the road for the first time since April 19-21, 2019. The Red Sox had lost 15 of their previous 16 games at Tampa Bay entering the series.

    "It’s very important to come here and sweep this team," Abreu said through a translator. "Even more when we haven’t done it in a long time. That will give us extra confidence."

    ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - MAY 22: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 8 to 5 at Tropicana Field on May 22, 2024 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

    Boston star Rafael Devers had his 11-game hitting streak end after going 0 for 4. His team record of homering in six consecutive games was stopped on Tuesday night.

    José Caballero drove in a pair with a single during a three-run second for the Rays, who have lost a season-high four straight and dropped under .500 at 25-26. Yandy Díaz hit a ninth-inning solo homer.

    Bello (5-2) gave up three runs and four hits. The right-hander struck out six and walked four.

    "I think he found the changeup," Boston manager Alex Cora said about Bello’s recovery.

    Rob Refsnyder had a tiebreaking RBI single off reliever Kevin Kelly during a five-run fifth as the Red Sox took a 5-3 lead.

    Ceddanne Rafaela ended Ryan Pepoit’s night with an RBI single in the fifth. Richard Lovelady (0-2) entered and allow Wong’s two-run single before Refsynder and Dominic Smith had consecutive run-scoring hits off Kelly.

    Abreu connected on a two-run homer in a three-run sixth against Kelly to make it 8-3.

    "We did a lot of good things," Cora said. "We put the ball in play. The value of putting the ball in play, it was huge."

    Pepiot, making his first start since being hit on the lower left leg by an 107.5 mph liner by the New York Mets’ Starling Marte on May 5, allowed three runs, two hits, four walks and hit a batter in four-plus innings.

    "Overall just didn’t execute pitches," Pepiot said. "Just one of those days."

    TRAINER'S ROOM

    Red Sox: RHP Garrett Whitlock (right elbow ligament) will see Dr. Jeff Dugas on May 29 in Birmingham, Alabama to determine if he needs surgery. … 1B Garrett Cooper was a late scratch due to right shoulder discomfort.

    Rays: CF Josh Lowe departed in the second inning with right side strain and will have a MRI. He started the season on the injured list with a right oblique strain. … RHP Drew Rasmussen (right elbow internal brace surgery) had his first bullpen session.

    UP NEXT

    Red Sox: RHP Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.17 ERA) will face Milwaukee RHP Brice Wilson (2-1, 2.79 ERA) on Friday night.

    Rays: LHP Tyler Alexander (2-2, 5.17 ERA), who took a perfect game into the eighth inning last Friday at Toronto, starts Friday night against Kansas City RHP Seth Lugo (7-1, 1.79 ERA).

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