BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox are off to the best nine-game start in franchise history.
All the close ones are going their way right now.
Andrew Benintendi hit a tie-breaking RBI double in Boston’s wild six-run eighth inning, and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 on Sunday for their eighth straight win.
The Red Sox moved to 8-1 with the sweep of their three-game set against the struggling Rays. They also improved to 5-0 in one-run games.
“We stole that one again,” first-year manager Alex Cora said.
Tampa Bay has dropped eight straight since its win on Opening Day.
The Rays led 7-2 before Boston’s impressive rally, helped by a pair of wild pitches by Tampa Bay.
Rafael Devers hit a two-run double and scored on Christian Vazquez’s single to get the Red Sox within one. Vazquez advanced on a wild pitch by Alex Colome (0-1) and scored on Mookie Betts’ single.
Benintendi followed with his clutch double to center, a highlight in a tough start for the young outfielder.
“Colome is one of the best closers in the league,” Cora said. “First of all we pushed them to bring him in early. After that it was good at-bat after good at-bat. It was fun to watch.”
Colome said Benintendi got a hold of a cutter.
“I did as best as I can and tried to throw strikes as best as I could,” he said through an interpreter. “That just happened to be the result of it.”
Colome also struggled in the series opener, allowing two runs and four hits in the ninth inning of Tampa Bay’s 3-2 loss.
“He’s human, so everybody can kind of go through a stretch. But we’re some good hitters, too,” Betts said. “I think it’s a mix of us putting together some good at-bats and putting some pressure and making him make pitches.”
Carson Smith (1-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, and Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his third save.
Tampa Bay had a season-high 11 hits and left 10 runners on base.
Hanley Ramirez had two hits and two RBI for Boston.
Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez struck out five of his first six hitters in his first game back from the disabled list after knee surgery. But Tampa Bay’s C.J. Cron tied it at 1 with a home run in the second.
Carlos Gomez added an RBI double in the third, and Adeiny Hechavarria made it 3-1 Rays with an RBI single in the fourth.
Rodriguez was charged with three runs and five hits in 32/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
NOTES: Cora said Dustin Pedroia is progressing well. He is starting to run the bases, which is the next step in his rehab from left knee surgery. He took ground balls on Saturday and has been hitting for a month. “He’s moving well,” Cora said.
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