Rays Sweep The BoSox With a 5-4 Victory

BY LILY BELCHER

For the third time in franchise history, the Rays swept the Red Sox in a four-game set with a narrow 5-4 win, thanks to an offensive spark in the seventh inning.

Drew Rasmussen took the bump at the start of the game but gave up three runs in his six-inning outing, including a solo shot by Rafael Devers, wild pitch to score Jarren Duran, and an RBI double by Xander Bogaerts (3-0).

Kutter Crawford, on the other hand, kept the aggressive Rays offense at bay, holding them to just three hits going into the home half of the seventh inning.

In true Rays fashion, however, Tampa Bay batters capitalized off Boston leaving in their starting pitcher for one inning too long and then lit up John Schreiber, who relieved Crawford. A leadoff double by Jonathan Aranda, followed by a single by Christian Bethancourt and double by Josh Lowe, gave the Rays their first RBI of the night (3-1). A two-run bases clearing double by Taylor Walls following the pitching change tied it up (3-3).

Walls went two-for-three with two doubles and scored from third off an RBI single by Yandy Diaz. Luke Raley also scored off Diaz’s single after being hit by a pitch (5-3).

Should the Rays send down Taylor Walls?

• Yes
• No

It could have been a six-run inning, but Diaz represented the second out with an aggressive, yet unsuccessful, attempt to score from first. The Rays settled for five runs after batting around.

With Jalen Beeks on the mound as the Rays' closer, Boston threatened the Rays’ two run lead.

A leadoff base hit by Xander Bogaerts in the final frame, followed by an RBI double by Alex Verdugo put the tying run in scoring position (5-4). Beeks managed three outs following the two consecutive hits, broken up by a walk to Kevin Plawecki.

After the final groundout of the game, the Rays congratulated each other with high fives as fans waved broomsticks under the orange roof.

The Rays will host the Orioles, who have a surprising ten-game winning streak (the second longest active in the league), this weekend for the final three games before the All-Star break. The Orioles are clinging to playoff hopes, hanging 1.5 games out of the AL wildcard spot. Meanwhile, the Rays extend their lead to 2.5 games, sitting comfortably at first place in the wildcard race.

Friday night’s first pitch is slated for 7:10 at Tropicana Field.