BOSTON — Rick Porcello certainly feels at home.
Porcello pitched seven strong innings Saturday to remain unbeaten at Fenway Park this season, Xander Bogaerts homered and the Boston Red Sox sent the Tampa Bay Rays to their fifth straight loss, 4-1.
“Absolutely, coming here and pitching here now, I feel a lot more comfortable,” said Porcello after raising his record to 8-0 in nine Fenway starts.
On the day the Red Sox learned they lost closer Craig Kimbrel with a left knee injury for likely 3 to 6 weeks, they won for the fifth time in six games.
After being acquired from Detroit in a trade before last season, Porcello took a while to start feeling relaxed in Fenway.
Last year he was expected to be an ace for the staff but lost six of his first 11 starts at home and ended the season just 9-15 overall with a 4.92 ERA.
“More than anything we look back to a year and a half that he’s been here, probably getting in his surroundings,” Manager John Farrell said. “The first time that he had been away from the Tigers after six full years in the big leagues there.”
Dustin Pedroia added a two-run single for Boston, which looks for a sweep of the three-game series Sunday when former Rays ace David Price is scheduled to pitch.
Brad Miller hit a solo homer for the Rays, who have dropped 21 of 24.
Porcello (11-2) allowed a run on six hits, striking out five and not walking anyone.
Koji Uehara worked the ninth for his fourth save and second in two days.
Matt Moore (5-6) gave up four runs, two unearned, in six innings. He held the Red Sox scoreless on three hits over seven innings in his last start against them, at home on June 29.
“We know what we’re capable of doing,” Moore said. “Regardless of what just happened the last month, that sounds like a victim attitude. I don’t think anybody in here is going to admit to that. I know I won’t.”
Bogaerts’ two-run homer completely left Fenway over the Green Monster seats and made it 2-1 in the fourth. Pedroia’s single came an inning later.
“There were a couple of misfires in there that you could tell – the pitch to Bogaerts,” Rays Manager Kevin Cash said. “But overall, I thought he did a nice job of kind of balancing.”
Miller’s drive gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in the first. He has three career hits against Porcello, all solo homers.
The Red Sox replaced Kimbrel quickly, acquiring Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler early Saturday. He’s expected to be with the team Sunday.
Kimbrel tore his medial meniscus shagging balls in the outfield Friday and is scheduled for surgery Monday.
NOTES: The 100-year-old daughter of Babe Ruth – Julia Ruth Stevens – tossed out the ceremonial first pitch. She turned 100 on Thursday. … Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier (fractured left hand) worked out pregame. Manager Kevin Cash said he’ll likely start a rehab assignment Monday and they hope to have him in the lineup Friday. … Red Sox Manager John Farrell said Brock Holt, who left Friday’s game with a sprained left ankle, isn’t likely to play Sunday, but the team hopes to have him back Friday. … Farrell also said 1B Hanley Ramirez was “sore.” Ramirez was out of the lineup after fouling a ball off his left shin twice in the last few days.
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