Aaron Hill picked the flawless time to end a hitless drought.Mired in an 0-for-20 slump, the veteran infielder singled home the tie-breaking run in the eighth inning as the Boston Red Sox rebounded after squandering a two-run lead to pull out an 8-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber game of a three-game series on Wednesday.Jackie Bradley, who hit his 22nd home run, provided insurance with an RBI double.Hanley Ramirez, who hit a grand slam to wipe out a 4-1 deficit in the fifth inning, walked against Erasmo Ramirez (7-10) and took second on a sacrifice by Sandy Leon.
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“We know where the schedule lies”.
“He had to leave the ballpark”, Farrell said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge”.
Mired in an 0-for-20 slump, Aaron Hill lined a tie-breaking RBI single and Jackie Bradley Jr. followed with a run-scoring double.
But the offense saved the clumsy relief crew with a two-run rally in the bottom of the eighth to complete an 8-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boston – After Steven Wright struggled and only got through four innings, Hanley Ramirez picked him up with a grand salami to give Boston a 5-4 lead in the fifth. The Sox scored again in the inning when Brock Holt hit an RBI single to score Yound.
On Wednesday, almost every facet of the team struggled as the Red Sox handed the Rays a 8-6 loss to win the series and hand the Rays another losing month.
Farrell later said that he didn’t want to get Kimbrel in to the game in the eighth because the closer had thrown 21 pitches Tuesday night after not pitching at all in the previous five games. The next steps are for him to have bullpen on Wednesday before facing live hitters Saturday.Farrell also said C Ryan Hanigan (left ankle tendinitis) is expected to come off a rehab assignment and join the team when they start a road trip in Oakland on Friday. Ramirez is on pace for 23 home runs, 102 RBIs and 32 doubles. It was his seventh career grand slam, second with Boston.
Buchholz pitched just the eighth inning.
2B Dustin Pedroia returned from a two-game absence to attend a family funeral and singled leading off the bottom of the first, his 14th hit in his last 18 at-bats. He also has 18 hits in his last 24 at-bats at Fenway Park.
– Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki went 2 for 4 in a 2-1 loss against the New York Mets.
TIGERS 8, WHITE SOX 4: In Detroit, Ian Kinsler homered and drove in four runs. Smyly is 4-0 in his last seven starts with three no-decisions.
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The Rays, buried in last in the AL East, have lost three of four. Let’s examine the outlook of each of the teams in this race to see who stands the best chance of ending the season at the top of the AL East. “We have six guys, all with the reason to be starters”, Cash said. Tampa manager Kevin Cash said the club will call one or two pitchers up when the rosters expand on Thursday, and add more bodies when Double-A Durham finishes next week. Hanley Ramirez had a solo home run for the Sox in the loss. But even in the confines of the Red Sox’ home park, there still has to be some pause about putting faith in Porcello in a win-or-go home affair. This season, however, Pedroia is not playing with any known aliments or restrictions, and as a result is playing with a conviction that celebrates his health (although he’s really got to stop with the headfirst slides into first).
