Behind Xander Bogaerts’ grand slam and Nathan Eovaldi’s five shutout innings, the Boston Red Sox earned a rain-shortened, 6-0 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
The game was called with two runners on and two outs in Boston’s (77-84) five-run bottom of the fifth.
Christian Arroyo went 2-for-2 with an RBI before the Bogaerts slam highlighted what turned out to be the final frame for the Red Sox, who have started the season-ending series with back-to-back wins.
Eovaldi (6-3) allowed two hits, walked two and struck out four in the truncated complete game.
Taylor Walls and Jose Siri each had a hit from the bottom of the lineup for the Rays (86-75).
Starter Jeffrey Springs (9-5) struck out three over three innings of two-hit, one-run ball.
Tampa Bay has now lost four straight games and six of its last eight series.
The Red Sox got on the board in the second inning as Alex Verdugo drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on Eric Hosmer’s single. Arroyo dropped a two-out single into right to score Verdugo.
Eovaldi made the lead stand up. He opened the game by sitting down the first eight batters he faced before Siri’s line single to left in the third.
The Rays didn’t record a second hit until Walls lined a two-out double to left in the fifth.
Bogaerts turned an unassisted double play ball to erase two walks an inning earlier.
In the last of the fifth, Bogaerts padded the Boston lead with a no-doubt grand slam over the Green Monster.
Arroyo hit a leadoff single and Connor Wong doubled to center before a walk to Rafael Devers loaded the bases with one out, setting up the Red Sox shortstop’s seventh career grand slam and second this season. It ended his 0-for-11 drought.
Boston added another run after Brooks Raley relieved Colin Poche due to injury. J.D. Martinez and Enrique Hernandez drew two-out walks before Hosmer reached on a fielding error by the pitcher covering first base on a hard grounder.
Hosmer played in his first game since Aug. 20 after being reinstated from the 10-day injured list (low back inflammation) on Monday.
–Field Level Media
