The Tampa Bay Rays (75-58) beat the Boston Red Sox (67-69) 4-3 on Monday afternoon at Tropicana Field. The Rays are once again seventeen games above .500, matching a high watermark on the season.
The Rays and Red Sox traded first inning runs, before Boston took a 3-1 lead in the third inning. Randy Arozarena drove in a run in the fifth to pull within 3-2 - then in the seventh inning Manuel Margot and David Peralta both hit RBI doubles to give the Rays a 4-3 lead.
Luis Patiño got the start and pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out four and walking three. Calvin Faucher (2-3, 6.14) picked up the win out of the bullpen, while Pete Fairbanks picked up his fifth save of the season by striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Rays and Red Sox meet in the second game of their three game series on Tuesday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM at Tropicana Field - Jay Recher begins pregame coverage with the Inside Pitch at 5:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES