Red Sox 4, Rays 0: Brock Holt went 4-for-4 with four doubles and two RBIs in support of seven dominant innings from Jon Lester as Boston polished off a three-game sweep of visiting Tampa Bay.
Lester (6-6) struck out 12 while scattering four hits and a walk to lead the Red Sox to their seventh straight win. Garin Cecchini made his major-league debut and doubled in a run while Alex Hassan added his first major-league hit and scored a run in his debut for Boston.
Erik Bedard (2-4) was reached for three runs on five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings to suffer the loss for the Rays, who have dropped six straight since earning a home sweep of the Red Sox last weekend. Evan Longoria had two hits and James Loney doubled for Tampa Bay.
Lester recorded seven straight outs via strikeout between the third and the fifth and the Red Sox’s offense took that opportunity to jump in front. Jonny Gomes and Hassan led off the fourth with back-to-back singles while Jackie Bradley Jr. reached with a one-out walk before Jonathan Herrera delivered a sacrifice fly and Holt followed with a two-run double into the corner in left to make it 3-0.
Cecchini, who entered the game after Dustin Pedroia was ejected, came up with Holt on second in the seventh and doubled to left for his first hit and RBI. The Rays put the first two on in the eighth against Edward Mujica, but Longoria grounded into a double play and Sean Rodriguez struck out to end the threat.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Pedroia, who was making his return to the lineup after sitting out Saturday with a hand contusion, was tossed for arguing between the third and fourth innings. … Holt was making his first career start at first base and added a walk and a stolen base to his big day. … Tampa Bay recalled OF/1B Jerry Sands from Triple-A Durham and placed RF Wil Myers (sprained wrist) on the 15-day disabled list.
Tampa Bay | Boston | |
Erik Bedard | Player | Jon Lester |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.2 | IP | 7.0 |
4 | Strikeouts | 12 |
5 | Hits | 4 |
5.79 | ERA | 0.00 |
Tampa Bay | Boston | |
Evan Longoria | Player | Brock Holt |
2 | Hits | 4 |
0 | RBI | 2 |
0 | HR | 0 |
2 | TB | 8 |
.500 | Avg | 1.000 |