The Boston Red Sox (9-10) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (8-9) 7-4 on Tuesday night at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. With the win, the three-game series has been evened at one-game apiece.
The Red Sox scored in each of the first four innings to build a 6-1 lead in the middle of the fourth, all of their runs coming off of starter Ryan Pepiot. Pepiot (1-2, 4.91) allowed six earned runs on nine hits while striking out eight and walking two in his start.
The Rays got a homer from Jonathan Aranda in the second - then in the bottom of the fourth after being behind 6-1, Kameron Misner hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-2. Alex Bregman hit a solo homer for Boston in the seventh inning to give the Red Sox some insurance. The Rays then got two runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull within 7-4, which would prove to be the final score.
The Rays and Red Sox now meet in the rubber game of the three-game series on Wednesday night. Zack Littel (0-3, 6.88) is scheduled to start for the Rays. First pitch Wednesday is scheduled for 7:05 PM - pregame coverage begins with Ronnie Lane hosting the Inside Pitch at 6:00 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES