Rays 6, Red Sox 2: Ben Zobrist doubled in the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth as visiting Tampa Bay stole the opener of a three-game series from Boston.

Clay Buchholz (8-10) cruised through the first seven innings for the Red Sox but walked Nick Franklin leading off the eighth and hit Brandon Guyer with a pitch before Zobrist lifted a two-out fly to left that Yoenis Cespedes could not handle to plate a pair and end the right-hander’s shutout bid. David DeJesus added an RBI single for the Rays, who have won two of three.

James Loney greeted Tommy Layne with a two-run single to cap the five-run eighth inning and Matt Joyce homered in the ninth for Tampa Bay. Buchholz was charged with five runs and eight hits while striking out six in 7 2/3 frames.

Alex Cobb (10-8) surrendered one run on five hits and a pair of walks in seven innings to pick up the win for the Rays. The right-hander held Boston hitless until the fourth, when Cespedes reached with a two-out infield single and Daniel Nava followed with an RBI double to left.

Buchholz faced the minimum over the next three innings to hang onto the one-run lead and looked like he was out of the jam in the eighth before Cespedes jumped too early in front of the “Green Monster” on Zobrist’s fly. Buchholz, Layne and catcher Christian Vazquez combined to hit two batters, issue a walk, unleash a wild pitch and suffer a passed ball in the decisive frame.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli (finger, toe) and UTL Brock Holt (concussion) both remain out but could return before the end of the season. … Boston SS Xander Bogaerts (stiff neck) and 3B Will Middlebrooks (right hand) were scratched from the original lineup. … Rays SS Yunel Escobar left the game in the third inning after suffering a sprained knee in a play at the plate. He is day-to-day.