ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- On a day when all eyes were on Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer, it was Justin Masterson, pitching in the majors for the first time in six weeks, who turned in the winning performance on the mound, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 win over the Rays on Sunday at Tropicana Field.

"It was great to be out there again, having not been in a big-league game in who knows how long," said Masterson, who held the Rays to one unearned run in five innings for his first win since April 20. "It was great to be able to be out there and throw strikes, and the biggest thing was our boys being able to hit some homers."

Boston (34-43) tagged Archer for three home runs, including two in the second inning, each the most in his career. Archer had allowed a total of seven earned runs in his previous six starts, but matched a season high in allowing five runs Sunday.

"He's a great pitcher, but we had a bat in our hands. If he makes a mistake, we're going to take advantage," said third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who hit a solo shot in the second, his seventh of the season.

Two batters later, left fielder Alejandra De Aza hit another solo shot, his sixth of the year and his third in four games. Designated hitter David Ortiz added a two-run blast in the fourth, and Boston's bullpen held on for the win.

"It stinks because my goal is a team win every time and I felt like I had good stuff," Archer said. "Good hitters capitalize on pitches that weren't well-executed. That happens."

Masterson hadn't pitched since May 12 due to shoulder tendinitis, but threw strikes consistently in his first outing back. Boston took two of three from the Rays (42-35), who had sole possession of first in the American League for 13 days, but dropped into a virtual tie with the Yankees (41-34).

"Today kind of feels like we just got beat," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "I thought Arch was really good. Six innings, 10 punchouts, five hits. The home run just kind of beat us up a little bit."

Down 5-1, Tampa Bay rallied for two runs in the seventh on shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera's RBI double and an RBI single from designated hitter Grady Sizemore, who made his Rays debut and had three hits against his old team.

In the ninth, Sizemore doubled with two outs, but Boston closer Koji Uehara got the final out from Rays third baseman Evan Longoria for his 16th save.

Boston jumped ahead in the second inning, on the solo home runs by Sandoval (his seventh of the season) and De Aza (sixth) for a 2-0 lead. For De Aza, it was his third home run in four games, after having just three in his first 45 games of the season.

The Red Sox doubled their lead in the fourth on the two-run home run by Ortiz, his 12th home run of the season, for a 4-0 lead. The three home runs accounted for all but one of the Red Sox's four hits in the first six innings.

Tampa Bay got on the scoreboard in the fifth, with center fielder Brandon Guyer reaching on an infield single, taking second on a passed ball and scoring on an RBI single by Cabrera, who batted leadoff for the first time this season as outfielder Kevin Kiermaier got the day off.

Boston first baseman Mike Napoli was ejected in the second inning after arguing a called third strike. Second baseman Brock Holt moved to first to replace him, with rookie Deven Marrero making his major league debut by entering the game at second.

NOTES: The Rays selected former Indians All-Star Grady Sizemore from Class A Charlotte and added him to the 25-man and 40-man roster. Sizemore, signed by the Rays after he was cut by the Phillies, batted second Sunday as Tampa Bay's designated hitter. ... To make room for Sizemore on the 25-man roster, RHP Matt Andriese, who pitched a gem Saturday, was optioned to Triple-A Durham, and to make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays transferred OF Desmond Jennings (knee surgery) to the 60-day disabled list. ... With Andriese down, the Rays are showing confidence that LHP Matt Moore, out since last summer recovering from Tommy John surgery, can make his season debut on Thursday. ... Red Sox OF Shane Victorino (calf) went 1-for-4 Saturday as he continues a rehab stint with Triple-A Pawtucket. He is 3-for-9 after three games there.