Roman Anthony wasted no time making his presence felt Friday night, and the Red Sox used that early jolt to move a step closer to the postseason.
Anthony launched the third pitch he saw from Ian Seymour into the right-field seats for his third career leadoff homer, then came through again in the second inning with a two-out single that broke a 1-1 tie and drove in two more runs. Boston rode that burst to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Jahmai Jones added to the cushion with a solo shot to open the third, pushing the Red Sox ahead 4-1. Caleb Durbin chipped in with two hits as Boston improved to 84-70, good for the American League’s third-best record behind the Rays and Yankees.
The win carried extra weight in the standings. Boston entered the night with a magic number of three and could lock up a wild-card spot as early as Saturday.
Ranger Suarez handled the heavy lifting on the mound for Boston, working 5 2/3 innings and giving up three hits and one run while walking five and striking out five. One of his best moments came in the fourth, when he snagged Taylor Walls’ 100-mph liner and turned it into an inning-ending double play.
Tampa Bay had chances but never found the big hit. The Rays, who had won six straight and were already postseason-bound, scored on runs driven in by Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda, but they stranded runners throughout the night.
They left the bases loaded in the sixth and again in the ninth, when Erik Miller got Chandler Simpson to bounce into a game-ending grounder. Tampa Bay finished 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
Boston also had to survive a messy finish. Left-hander Erik Miller picked up his fifth save despite a ninth inning that included three wild pitches and two walks.
Ian Seymour took the loss for Tampa Bay, falling to 9-7. The Rays were set to send Freddy Peralta, who is 9-11 with a 4.67 ERA, to the mound Saturday. Boston had not announced its starter.
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For a franchise that has spent years living with uncertainty about where it would ultimately play, the deal helps put more structure around the next phase of the ballpark effort. Legends Global will also handle project management services, and the company has tapped Todd Fleming as senior vice president and project lead, signaling that the Rays are now moving deeper into the practical work of turning the long-promised stadium into something real. [Read more 🡒]
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Kevin Cash and the Rays staff have taken notice of the way Mesa has fit in, praising his talent, instincts and the energy he has brought to the group. The bigger question now is how much more there is to come once he settles in fully and stays on the field, because his production has already made him more than just a midseason add-on. For Tampa Bay, he has become the kind of player whose progress is worth watching closely, especially with the way he has changed the conversation around the roster. [Read more 🡒]