Vazquez hits tiebreaker in 11th inning as Red Sox sweep Rays
Christian Vazquez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th inning as the Boston Red Sox edged the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Sunday to complete a three-game road sweep.
Rafael Devers began the 11th with a bloop single, and Michael Chavis, making his first major league start, followed with a walk. After a Jackie Bradley Jr. bunt advanced both runners, Vazquez lofted a deep fly to center to drive in the game-winning run.
The Red Sox rallied against Rays reliever Jose Alvarado (0-2) for the second straight game. Boston, which entered the series last in the American League East, extended first-place Tampa Bay's first losing streak of the season to three.
Marcus Walden (3-0) struck out two in two innings of relief for the win, and Ryan Brasier earned his third save in three days with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 11th.
Boston was ahead 3-2 in the eighth before Tommy Pham, who was picked off first base to end Saturday's loss, launched a solo home run off Matt Barnes to knot the score.
The Red Sox were down 2-1 before taking the lead with a sixth-inning rally. Mookie Betts chased Rays starter Tyler Glasnow with a one-out single, and Steve Pearce and J.D. Martinez each walked to load the bases for Xander Bogaerts, who stroked a pitch from Rays reliever Chaz Roe the opposite way to right-center for a two-run single.
Glasnow gave up two runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
The Rays struck first in the bottom of the third inning. After giving up back-to-back singles to open the frame, David Price punched out the next two he faced before Daniel Robertson lined a double to right-center to score both runners for a 2-0 Tampa Bay lead.
Boston countered in the top of the fourth with a Mitch Moreland solo home run, his seventh of the season.
Price struck out 10 in his five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks.
Betts had two hits in the contest, his third straight multi-hit game. Martinez singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
--Field Level Media
