The Boston Red Sox (50-45) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (50-44) 4-3 on Thursday night in Boston to win the opener of the four game series.
After Boston got one in the third, He-Seong Kim hit a two-run homer in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead. Junior Caminero added a solo homer in the sixth to make it 3-1 in favor of the Rays before the Red Sox began their rally.
In the seventh inning, Marcelo Mayer hit a RBI double to pull the Red Sox within one - before Ceddane Rafaela hit a two-run single to give the Red Sox a 4-3 lead which would prove to be the final score. All the damage came off of the newest Ray, Bryan Baker (3-3, 4.12) who was making his Rays debut. He had been acquired from the Orioles in a trade earlier in the day before arriving in Boston to pitch this game.
The Rays will look to bounce back when they meet the Red Sox in the second game of the three-game series on Friday night. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 7:10 PM - pregame coverage begins with Ronnie Lane hosting Inside Pitch at 6:00 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES