Rays 8, Red Sox 5: Sean Rodriguez belted a go-ahead three-run homer as Tampa Bay polished off a three-game sweep and handed visiting Boston its 10th straight loss.

Evan Longoria added a solo home run among three hits and scored twice for the Rays, who have won four straight. Jake Odorizzi allowed one run in six innings but Joel Peralta (2-3) ended up with the win in relief after surrendering the lead and benefiting from Rodriguez’s blast.

Jonny Gomes hit a tying pinch-hit two-run home run in the seventh inning for the Red Sox, who let their emotions boil over in the eighth with a benches-clearing incident sparked when Tampa Bay shortstop Yunel Escobar decided to steal third with a five-run lead. Gomes was the first to physically confront Escobar and the two were ejected as Boston’s ugliness continued.

The Red Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third but Longoria recorded the first hit off Boston starter Brandon Workman with a solo blast to right leading off the fourth and the Rays took the lead on Logan Forsythe’s single later in the frame. Wil Myers raced down the line to beat a double play and allow another run to score in the fourth before Gomes’ pinch-hit blast off Peralta in the seventh tied it up.

Craig Breslow (2-1) came on for the Red Sox in the bottom of the seventh and allowed the first two to reach on a walk and a single before Rodriguez came on as a pinch hitter and blasted a three-run homer out to left-center. Escobar’s double later in the inning scored two more before his scamper to third brought both teams out of the dugouts and bullpens. Boston made things interesting with two runs in the ninth before Grant Balfour came on to retire the final batter and pick up his ninth save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Red Sox placed 1B Mike Napoli (finger, calf, hamstring) on the 15-day DL to open up a roster spot for Workman. … Boston’s losing streak is the longest for a defending World Series champion since the 1998 Florida Marlins dropped 11 straight. … Peralta broke a tie with Dan Wheeler and moved into sole possession of first place on the franchise list for appearances by a reliever with his 251st.