Ramírez hits tiebreaking 2-run double as Rays beat Red Sox 4-2 to split doubleheader
Boston (AP) - Harold Ramírez hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the ninth inning and Jose Siri made a diving catch for the final out, sending the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday and a split of their day-night doubleheader.
Ramírez collected five hits on the day and drove in four runs for the major league-leading Rays (41-19), who won for just the third time in seven games.
"I really want to go home to go to sleep," he joked after the teams played the second game with the temperature in the 40s and a stiff wind blowing in.
In the opener, Justin Turner’s three-run double highlighted Boston’s six-run sixth inning that carried the Red Sox to an 8-5 victory.
The nightcap was tied at 2 when Francisco Mejía and Yandy Díaz opened the ninth with consecutive singles against Kenley Jansen (1-3). Mejía and Díaz advanced on Brandon Lowe’s fly to right and scored on Ramírez's liner into the gap in right-center.
Calvin Faucher (1-1) worked a scoreless inning for the victory, and Jason Adam got the three outs for his eighth save. Siri closed it out with his diving grab on Jarren Duran's bloop with two runners on.
"That's the play of the game," Ramírez said of the game-ending grab. "If he doesn't catch the ball, maybe we're going to have a problem."
Making his second start after opening the season on the injured list, Rays starter Tyler Glasnow went 5 1/3 innings, allowing a run and four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
The 29-year-old right-hander made just two starts in 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2021.
"It was alright, more of like a grind today," Glasnow said. "I think the breaking pitches were good, the heater wasn't there."
Siri gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead with a pinch-hit RBI double in the sixth. He hit a grounder down the third-base line through a drawn-in infield.
But Boston tied it when second baseman Lowe dropped Rafael Devers’ two-out popup in shallow right in the seventh, allowing Connor Wong to score.
Alex Verdugo had three hits and two RBIs in the opener for the Red Sox, who were swept by the Rays in a four-game series in their first meeting at Tropicana Field in April.
"The beauty of putting the ball in play," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "We took our walks, ran the bases well. It was a total team effort."
Díaz hit a two-run double and Wander Franco had three hits for Tampa Bay in the first game.
Boston shortstop Kiké Hernández made two throwing errors. The first one brought home a run.
Trailing 4-1, the Red Sox rallied against Jalen Beeks (2-3). Pablo Reyes hit an RBI single before Turner doubled off the Green Monster through a stiff breeze, making it 5-4.
"He got a changeup down in the zone," Cora said of Turner’s hit. "Tough conditions, that was the only way you could get to the wall, to be a line drive, a hard line drive."
Masataka Yoshida followed with a run-scoring double before Duran hit an RBI single off Cooper Criswell.
Playing the opener of a four-game series after Friday’s game was rained out and rescheduled for Monday, the Rays jumped ahead 3-0 in the second against Garrett Whitlock.
Díaz drove his two-run double into the left-field corner after Hernández’s throwing error allowed Harold Ramírez to score. Hernández made a nice sliding play on a grounder up the middle but fired wide of second from his knees trying to get a forceout.
Corey Kluber (3-6), recently demoted to the bullpen, worked a perfect inning for the victory. Jansen pitched the ninth for his 12th save, getting three strikeouts.
Whitlock gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
YOU CAN’T CATCH ME
The Rays extended their team record to 29 straight stolen bases after getting three in the nightcap.
RAYS ROSTER SHUFFLE
In between games, Tampa Bay reinstated right-hander Shawn Armstrong (neck) from the 60-day injured list and activated Robert Stephenson. To make room, the Rays optioned righty Trevor Kelley to Triple-A and designated lefty Joe LaSorsa for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: In the second game, center fielder Manuel Margot ran full speed into the wall and was down for a while but remained in. "His elbow jammed into his rib cage real good," manager Kevin Cash said. "He's going to be sore (Sunday)." … Franco trotted into third slowly on a single in the first game and was checked by a trainer but remained in the game. He had the nightcap off. … LHP Josh Fleming underwent an MRI for a sore left elbow.
Red Sox: Cora said INF Christian Arroyo (right hamstring) was set to return from his rehab assignment Saturday to be re-evaluated. "No guarantee he’ll be active here or go back and play more," Cora said.
UP NEXT
RHP Taj Bradley (3-2, 3.60 ERA) is set to start Sunday for the Rays against Red Sox RHP Tanner Houck (3-4, 5.30 ERA).