Shaw Has 5 RBIs, Red Sox Beat Rays 8-2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Travis Shaw had a solo home run and five RBIs, helping the Boston Red Sox bounce back with an 8-2 victory Tuesday over Chris Archer and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
Boston (42-35) dropped six of eight games entering Tuesday before starter Rick Porcello (9-2) keep the Rays bats in check, one day after an 18-hit, 13-run barrage. Tampa Bay (32-44) saw Archer (4-11) become the majors' first 11-game loser, matching the team record for losses before the All-Star break. Archer has also lost his last eight decisions against Boston.
Archer kept the Rays close, leaving in the seventh down 3-1, but reliever Enny Romero could not do the same. Romero inherited a runner, gave up a single to David Ortiz, an RBI single to Hanley Ramirez and after an out, Shaw's two-run double to make it 6-1.
Shaw, who had been 1-for-12 on Boston's road trip, had a solo home run in the second, a two-run double in the seventh and a two-run single in the ninth. It's his third game this season with five RBIs.
The Rays got a solo home run from Brad Miller -- his 10th -- in the seventh but otherwise had little to show offensively, finishing with six hits. Rays pitchers have allowed at least five runs in 13 straight games, the longest such streak by any major league team since the 2005 Royals, and one game short of the franchise record of 14 straight games set in 1999.
Porcello, consistently giving Boston six innings or more in his starts, went six again Tuesday, striking out eight batters for his best total since April.
Boston got single runs in the second, third and fifth innings in building a 3-1 lead against Archer.
Shaw got it started, leading off the second with a solo home run to right field -- his eighth on the season.
Boston added a run in the third when Rays right fielder Oswaldo Arcia, playing in just his second home game at Tropicana Field, lost a high fly from Ortiz that dropped in for an RBI double, scoring Mookie Betts, who had doubled to lead off the inning. The Red Sox had the bases loaded with one out, but Archer struck out Shaw and fielded a comebacker from Bryce Brentz to end the inning without more damage.
The Rays had a major opportunity in the fourth as Porcello loaded with the bases with two walks and a bloop single, then walked Nick Franklin to make it 2-1. The Rays had the bases loaded and no outs, but couldn't score any more runs with Miller striking out looking to end the inning.
Boston added a run in the fifth as Ramirez walked and scored from first on a double down the right-field line from Jackie Bradley Jr. for a 3-1 lead.
NOTES: Already dealing with inconsistency in the bullpen, the Rays put closer Alex Colome -- 19-for-19 in save opportunities -- on the 15-day disabled list with biceps tendinitis in his throwing arm. The move is retroactive to June 19, so he could return as soon as Monday if all goes well. The Rays selected LHP Dana Eveland from Triple-A Durham and added him back to the 40-man roster -- he'd been designated for assignment June 15 and cleared waivers. Eveland will help in the bullpen, but not likely in the high-leverage situations that Colome pitched in. ... The Red Sox, with their bullpen overworked after getting only 2 2/3 innings from starter Eduardo Rodriguez in Monday's loss, recalled RHP Pat Light from Triple-A Pawtucket to add a fresh arm. Rodriguez was optioned to Pawtucket to make room. Light has pitched in one MLB game -- earlier this season, he gave up two runs in one inning against the Braves in April. He has five saves and a 2.05 ERA for Pawtucket. ... Brandon Guyer, one of four Rays outfielders on the disabled list, was scheduled to DH for Class A Charlotte on Tuesday as he continues his rehab assignment. ... Speaking of injured outfielders, Rays OF Corey Dickerson was not in the starting lineup Tuesday, still limited by a jammed thumb from last week. He was available to pinch hit if needed.
