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BOSTON - Yandy Díaz snapped a sixth-inning tie with a two-run single and the Tampa Bay Rays held off the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Taj Bradley (1-1) pitched five solid innings in his second major league start this year, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Kevin Kelly fanned two in a perfect ninth for his second career save and first this season.
Wilyer Abreu and Rafael Devers homered for Boston. Tanner Houck (3-5) allowed three runs — one earned — and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
The right-hander tossed a career-high 112 pitches, most by a Red Sox starter since Nick Pivetta threw 112 in his shutout against Houston on May 18, 2022.
Richie Palacios and José Caballero hit consecutive one-out singles off Houck in the sixth. After striking out Ben Rortvedt, Houck was replaced by right-hander Greg Weissert. Jose Siri tied it with a single before Díaz’s base hit gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead.
Devers hit his fifth homer of the season in the bottom half.
Boston opened the scoring in the first when Jarren Duran led off with a double and scored on Connor Wong’s sacrifice fly.
Richie Palacios #1 and José Caballero #7 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate a 4-3 win against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 15, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay got a run in the fourth on an error by first baseman Garrett Cooper.
Abreu hit his fourth home run leading off the bottom of the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: LHP Jeffrey Springs, who has not pitched since April 2023 following Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to make his first rehab start Monday in the Florida Complex League. … INF Brandon Lowe, out since April 9 with a right oblique strain, was pulled from his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Durham after experiencing soreness in his injured oblique. Manager Kevin Cash said Lowe would rejoin the team and resume swinging a bat before going back out on a rehab assignment. If all goes well, Lowe could be reactivated next week.
Red Sox: RHP Garrett Whitlock, on the injured list since April 17 with a left oblique strain, went 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester. He is expected to be activated early next week to start at Tampa Bay.
UP NEXT
The teams wrap up their series Thursday, with Tampa Bay looking for its third win in the four-game set.
RHP Zack Littell (2-2, 3.02 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rays. Although he pitched in two games for Boston last season, it will be his first career appearance at Fenway Park.
RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.10) starts for Boston in his first career outing against the Rays. He pitched for Tampa Bay from 2022-23.
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