ST PETERSBURG – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jarren Duran drove in the winning run in a small-ball eighth inning as the Red Sox evened their three-game series with Tampa Bay on Wednesday, edging the Rays 2-1 in Florida.
After Trevor Story (2-for-3, homer, two runs) opened the eighth with a weak single past Drew Rasmussen (0-2), the Boston shortstop stole second and third. With one out, Duran slapped the winning hit to right for the Red Sox (76-76).
Boston starter Tanner Houck yielded one run and four hits in four innings. He struck out four without issuing a walk.
Justin Slaten (6-2) pitched out of trouble in the seventh. Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen worked around two walks in the ninth to notch his 27th save.
Josh Lowe (double, run), Jonny DeLuca (hit by pitch) and Taylor Walls (RBI, walk, stolen base) had two hits apiece for Tampa Bay (74-78).
Rays starter Ryan Pepiot dominated Boston for six innings, allowing just one run on two hits and no walks while fanning a career-high 12 batters. He crafted an immaculate inning (struck out all three batters on a total of nine pitches) in the fifth.
One night after tying their season high by going deep four times in an 8-3 win, the Rays produced a second-inning run. Lowe doubled with one out and DeLuca was hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, Taylor Walls slapped a liner that scored Lowe for a 1-0 lead.
In the fifth, Pepiot blew away the Red Sox lineup, whiffing Connor Wong looking and Wilyer Abreu and Triston Casas swinging.
The first-year Rays hurler set down 15 of the first 16 Boston batters he faced — 10 by strikeouts, nine swinging.
However, Story was ready to swing right away in the sixth and belted a first-pitch 93 mph fastball to left-center, making it 1-all with his second homer of the year.
Not known for his defense, Rays left fielder Christopher Morel prevented two runs in the seventh by ending the inning with a leaping catch above the fence’s pads on Casas’ drive with two runners on base.
–Field Level Media