BOSTON (AP) — Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the seventh inning, Manuel Margot had four hits and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 8-7 on Monday night.
Kiermaier’s opposite-field line drive off reliever Jeffrey Springs (0-1) rolled all the way to the wall in left-center field. Yoshi Tsutsugo and Margot scored after both singled to start the inning. Kiermaier had three RBIs.
“Any win is nice. Lot of offense today, which is encouraging,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Manny Margot is probably at the top of the list. We all wanted to have a big game and he did.”
Margot’s double in the eighth made it 8-5. The former Red Sox prospect said his father’s recent passing was a motivating factor in his big day at the plate.
“It was good to have a game like today. I felt like he was there with me,” Margot said through an interpreter. “Being a baseball family, I have four brothers who also signed and four nephews who have played professional baseball, so anytime I struggled he was the guy I called for positivity.”
Kiermaier finished 2 for 4, Michael Perez (2 for 5) had a two-run single and Joey Wendle hit an RBI triple for the Rays, who had a season-high 16 hits.
Tampa Bay has won four of five after taking three of four against the New York Yankees at home prior to this season-high 10-game road trip.
Aaron Loup (1-0) struck out three in a scoreless inning. Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough allowed four runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings after giving up five runs over five innings in a 5-0 home loss to Boston last Wednesday.
“We’ve got to somehow find a way to get him into a little bit better rhythm,” Cash said of Yarbrough. “He’s had a couple outings where it was like he was searching for it a little bit. Today was one.”
J.D. Martinez (3 for 4) hit a solo shot for his first home run of the season, Jonathan Araúz collected his first major league hit and finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Kevin Plawecki went 3 for 4 with two RBIs for the Red Sox.
“It felt great (to get my first hits),” Araúz said through an interpreter. “Obviously my goal today was just to try to help the team win. You know, three hits is good to have, but wish we would’ve got the win instead.”
Boston had won three of four after dropping eight of 10.
Araúz brought the Red Sox within a run on his bases-loaded, two-out double in the eighth. Kevin Pillar grounded out to end the rally.
Ji-Man Choi singled down the right-field line to give Tampa Bay its first lead at 5-4 in the sixth after Wendle’s triple tied it an inning earlier.
Boston led 3-0 after the first. Martinez ended a drought of 64 at-bats without a home run in the third when he took Yarbrough deep over the Green Monster in left.
“J.D. looked good today, so hopefully that’s a good sign of what’s going to happen here for the next two months — or hopefully longer than that,” Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said.
GIVE AND TAKE
After being thrown out trying to advance on his second-inning RBI single, Kiermaier made a leaping catch at the warning track in center to rob Araúz to open the bottom of the inning. Araúz later got his first hit on a bloop single to center to lead off the fifth.
“I know (my first hit) was gonna come eventually, but in that moment it just didn’t,” Araúz said. “Credit to him — he made a great play.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: RHP Charlie Morton was placed on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his pitching shoulder. “We caught it at the right time. We’re pretty optimistic that he’s gonna be right back,” Cash said. ... LHP José Alvarado was reinstated from the paternity list.
Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers was not in the lineup after he tweaked his left ankle during Sunday’s game against Toronto. Devers was spotted in a walking boot outside his locker suite. Roenicke said he is “doubtful” to start Tuesday. ... 1B Mitch Moreland was unavailable as a pinch hitter after injuring his left knee Sunday. He will be re-evaluated Tuesday. … LHP Brian Johnson was granted his release from the team’s minor league roster.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Andrew Kittredge (0-0, 2.35 ERA) will start Tuesday after recording the final two outs on Monday for his first career save.
Red Sox: LHP Martín Pérez (2-1, 3.45 ERA) looks to win his third straight start. He threw five scoreless innings and struck out four last Wednesday against Tampa Bay.
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