Tampa Bay Rays swept by Boston Red Sox after 4-3 loss Sunday
(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Christian Vazquez hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Red Sox completed an uplifting three-game sweep of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 victory Sunday.
"That was a big three wins," said Boston starter David Price, who struck out 10 over five innings. "We know the type of team we have in this clubhouse, and I think we showed that these last three days."
After starting the season by losing eight of 10, the Red Sox are 7-5 over the last 12 games and went from eight to five games behind the Rays.
Tampa Bay has dropped four in a row, with back of the bullpen anchors Alvarado and Diego Castillo both losing twice.
"We got knocked down," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We're capable of getting back up. We were in every ballgame, which ultimately is not good enough. We've got to get back to finding ways to win games."
Tommy Pham, picked off first base by catcher Vazquez to end Saturday night's 6-5 loss to the Red Sox, got the Rays even at 3-all on his eighth-inning solo homer off Matt Barnes.
Boston went ahead 3-2 on Xander Bogaerts two-run single off Chaz Roe during the sixth.
Rays starter Tyler Glasnow, bidding to open the season with five consecutive wins, was pulled after Mookie Betts singled with one out in the sixth.
Glasnow, who entered with an AL-best 1.13 ERA, allowed two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-8 right-hander was frustrated by the decision to take him out after a season-low 76 pitches.
"It doesn't matter if I agree or disagree with it, that's how the Rays do it," Glasnow said.
Daniel Robertson put the Rays up 2-0 on a two-out, two-run double off Price in the third. It was just his third hit in 28 at-bats.
Price, the one-time Tampa Bay ace gave up two runs, five hits and walked two during an 100-pitch outing.