Willy Adames slugged a tiebreaking two-run home run as part of a six-run fourth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied past the Boston Red Sox 7-4 Monday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Ji-Man Choi and Brandon Lowe also homered in the fourth as the Rays came back from an early four-run deficit to win the finale of the four-game series.
With the victory, Tampa Bay (93-64) moved a half-game ahead of the idle Cleveland Indians for the second American League wild card while closing within 1 1/2 games of idle the Oakland A's for the first wild card.
Jackie Bradley Jr. had three hits for the Red Sox (81-75).
Trailing 4-0 after an ineffective start from Blake Snell, the Rays got within a run when Choi followed a pair of one-out singles in the fourth with his 17th blast of the season. One out later, Lowe knotted the score on his 17th.
Bobby Poyner (0-1) came on for Boston and hit Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch before Adames crushed a fastball for his 20th homer of the year and a 6-4 Rays lead.
The rally made a winner of Austin Pruitt (3-0), who had given up two runs -- including J.D. Martinez's 100th RBI of the season -- in the top of the fourth.
Tampa Bay increased the margin to 7-4 on an RBI double from Avisail Garcia in the sixth. Garcia was out at third trying to extend it to a triple on an incredible throw by Mookie Betts from the warning track in the right field corner.
In the ninth, Colin Poche earned his second save for the Rays, getting the final two outs on strikeouts after closer Emilio Pagan left with men on the corners and one out.
Snell, in his second start since returning from left elbow surgery, gave up one run on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings. He threw 52 pitches.
The Red Sox got on the board in the second on an RBI double from Marco Hernandez and increased their lead to 2-0 on Bradley's RBI double in the third.
Jhoulys Chacin started for Boston and surrendered four runs on four hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings, striking out five. Snell gave up one run on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media
Boston | Tampa Bay | |
Jhoulys Chacin | Player | Blake Snell |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
3.2 | IP | 1.2 |
5 | Strikeouts | 3 |
4 | Hits | 2 |
9.82 | ERA | 5.40 |
Boston | Tampa Bay | |
Jackie Bradley Jr. | Player | Austin Meadows |
3 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
4 | TB | 2 |
.750 | Avg | .667 |