BOSTON — Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh inning, Manuel Margot had four hits and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 8-7 on Monday night.
Kiermaier’s opposite-field line drive off reliever Jeffrey Springs (0-1) rolled all the way to the wall in left-center field. Yoshi Tsutsugo and Margot scored after both singled to start the inning. Kiermaier had three RBI.
Margot’s double in the eighth made it 8-5. Kiermaier finished 2 for 4, Michael Perez (2 for 5) had a two-run single and Joey Wendle hit an RBI triple for the Rays, who had a season-high 16 hits.
Tampa Bay has won four of five after taking three of four against the New York Yankees at home prior to this season-high 10-game road trip.
Aaron Loup (1-0) struck out three in a scoreless inning. Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough allowed four runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings after giving up five runs over five innings in a 5-0 home loss to Boston last Wednesday.
J.D. Martinez (3 for 4) hit a solo shot for his first home run of the season, Jonathan Araúz collected his first major league hit and finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Kevin Plawecki went 3 for 4 with two RBIs for the Red Sox.
Boston had won three of four after dropping eight of 10.
Araúz brought the Red Sox within a run on his bases-loaded, two-out double in the eighth. Kevin Pillar grounded out to end the rally.
Andrew Kittredge recorded the final two outs for his first career save.
Ji-Man Choi singled down the right-field line to give Tampa Bay its first lead at 5-4 in the sixth after Wendle’s triple tied it an inning earlier.
Boston led 3-0 after the first. Martinez ended a drought of 64 at-bats without a home run in the third when he took Yarbrough deep over the Green Monster in left.
GIVE AND TAKE
After being thrown out trying to advance on his second-inning RBI single, Kiermaier made a leaping catch at the warning track in center to rob Araúz to open the bottom of the inning. Araúz later got his first hit on a bloop single to center to lead off the fifth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: RHP Charlie Morton was placed on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his pitching shoulder. “We caught it at the right time. We’re pretty optimistic that he’s gonna be right back,” Manager Kevin Cash said. … LHP José Alvarado was reinstated from the paternity list.
Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers was not in the lineup after he tweaked his left ankle during Sunday’s game against Toronto. Devers was spotted in a walking boot outside his locker suite. … LHP Brian Johnson was granted his release from the team’s minor league roster.
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