Boston's Martin Perez won for the first time in seven starts, Christian Arroyo homered for the second straight game, and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Perez (3-4) tossed five innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits with six strikeouts. It was his first victory since Aug. 5 when he and four relievers combined on a 5-0 blanking at Tropicana Field - the only shutout against the Rays this year.

Both Arroyo and Christian Vazquez slugged two-run homers, Rafael Devers went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and Yairo Munoz had two hits, a double, two runs and a stolen base.

The win gave the Red Sox (17-31) a split of the four-game series, but the Rays (30-17) claimed seven of 10 against their division rival in the just-completed season series.

Tampa Bay's Charlie Morton allowed three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings in his third start since returning from the injured list after right shoulder inflammation. Kevan Smith homered for the Rays, and Mike Brosseau went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

Boston wasted no time in getting out to a 2-0 lead shortly after first pitch. Munoz lined a double to right, and Vazquez homered to left-center field, his fifth.

The Rays cut the deficit to a run in their half of the first when Joey Wendle chopped an infield single over the mound and Brosseau drove a double off the wall in right for an RBI.

Smith put Tampa Bay ahead for the first time in the fourth by clubbing a mammoth homer to left - his first as a member of the American League East leaders. His shot scored Willy Adames, who reached on shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin's throwing error.

Devers (double) and J.D Martinez (ground out) drove in runs in the Boston fifth against Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks (4-3), pushing the Red Sox ahead 4-3. Arroyo laced a two-run shot for an opposite-field homer to right - his second this season - an inning later off reliever Ryan Thompson.

The Rays put two on in the seventh against reliever Ryan Weber, but right-hander Ryan Brasier came in and struck out Nate Lowe swinging to keep it 6-3.

Matt Barnes allowed one hit and fanned two in a scoreless ninth for his sixth save in nine opportunities.

--Field Level Media