Red Sox Sweep Rays 3-2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Veteran designated hitter David Ortiz went 3-for-5 with a double in his final game at Tropicana Field on Sunday, lifting the Boston Red Sox to their 11th straight win with a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boston (92-64) completed the three-game sweep of the Rays to inch closer to an AL East title. The Red Sox are 5 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Toronto Blue Jays.
Ortiz, who hit 35 home runs at Tropicana Field - the most by an opposing player - hit a double in the 10th inning off reliever Eddie Gamboa. Dustin Pedroia scored from first when Tampa Bay catcher Luke Maile dropped the ball after applying for the tag. Replay confirmed the call of an error by Maile.
Tampa Bay (65-90) tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single by Brad Miller that scored Logan Forsythe. The Red Sox escaped further damage when Nick Franklin grounded into an inning-ending double play with runners on the corners.
Pedroia hit a solo home run in the top of the third off Rays starter Jake Odorizzi to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.
Mookie Betts gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the first inning off an RBI single that scored Xavier Bogaerts.
Rays right fielder Richie Shaffer tied the game in the bottom of the second inning off a sacrifice fly that scored Mikie Mahtook.
Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez had 13 strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in a no decision. The Rays struck out 11 consecutive times against Rodriguez and reliever Heath Hembree to set a major-league record. The Rays struck out 23 times to set a franchise record.
Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly pitched the final 2 2/3 innings to earn the win.
Odorizzi went three innings and gave up two runs on four hits. He threw 84 pitches in the outing.
