Betts' blast was a three-run shot, putting him one home run ahead of teammate J.D. Martinez and Baltimore's Manny Machado for the most in the majors. Rafael Devers launched a solo homer for Boston, which won for the fifth time in six games.
Sale (5-1) was charged with one earned run on four hits and two walks.
Willy Adames' first hit in his MLB debut was a solo shot against Sale, and Daniel Robertson also had an RBI for Tampa Bay. The Rays have lost back-to-back games after their MLB-best six-game win streak.
Tampa Bay starter Jake Faria (3-3) allowed three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two over 2 2/3 innings before leaving with a left oblique strain.
Rays catcher Wilson Ramos also exited in the third after being hit on his glove hand by a ball. Ramos was diagnosed with a left hand contusion and is day-to-day. Jesus Sucre took over behind the plate.
Boston has won eight of 11 against Tampa Bay this season.
In Adames' first at-bat, he struck out on a 97-mph fastball from Sale to end the Rays' first.
Betts homered in the third on a 3-2 breaking ball from Faria. The ball sailed approximately 405 feet into the left-field seats. Sandy Leon walked and Jackie Bradley Jr. singled to bring up Betts.
Adames homered to left in the fourth, blasting Sale's 1-0 off-speed offering an estimated 385 feet to make it 3-1. Robertson's sacrifice fly one inning later brought the Rays within a run.
Devers' approximate 362-foot homer to right in the sixth, his ninth this year, restored Boston's two-run lead.
Tampa Bay loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Craig Kimbrel got Mallex Smith to ground out to second for his 14th save.
--Field Level Media
Boston | Tampa Bay | |
Chris Sale | Player | Jake Faria |
Win | W/L | Loss |
7.2 | IP | 2.2 |
9 | Strikeouts | 2 |
4 | Hits | 3 |
1.17 | ERA | 10.12 |
Boston | Tampa Bay | |
Mookie Betts | Player | Brad Miller |
2 | Hits | 1 |
3 | RBI | 0 |
1 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 2 |
.500 | Avg | 1.000 |