BOSTON (AP) Ryan Yarbrough held Boston to an unearned run into the eighth inning, Travis d’Arnaud hit a three-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox 9-2 in the opener of day-night doubleheader Saturday.
It was the Rays’ fourth straight victory and made them 4-0 at Fenway Park this season.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a solo homer for Boston, which has dropped the first two of a four-game series.
For the second straight game, a Rays starter kept the Red Sox hitters very quiet.
The 27-year-old Yarbrough (5-2), who was demoted to the minors after a rough April when he had an 8.10 ERA in five appearances, baffled Boston’s hitters limiting them to three singles, striking out seven without issuing a walk before Bradley homered off the Pesky Pole in the eighth.
On Friday, Yonny Chirinos pitched five perfect innings and went eight scoreless against Boston, allowing just two singles.
The Rays jumped ahead 4-0 in the second against Josh Smith (0-2). D’Arnaud drove a cut fastball completely out of Fenway over the Green Monster after Ji-Man Choi singled leading leadoff and Willy Adames drew a two-out walk. Brandon Lowe added an RBI single.
Sam Travis’ RBI single sliced it to 4-1 in the second after second baseman Brandon Lowe booted Eduardo Nunez’s grounder. Tampa Bay added an unearned run in the fifth when Austin Meadows scored on Sandy Leon’s passed ball after the bases were loaded with two walks and first baseman Michael Chavis’ throwing error.
D’Arnaud singled and scored on Brandon Lowe’s bunt single in a four-run ninth.
IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS
Yarbrough posted career-highs with 7 2/3 innings and 110 pitches. … The Rays’ staff entered the day with the majors’ best ERA (2.95), best road ERA (2.66) and second-lowest batting average against (.219).
NICE SUPPORT
Smith looked out to left field and tipped his cap to Travis, who went from a full sprint into a headlong dive for a catch on Avisail Garcia’s line drive. … Red Sox 2B Nunez lost Adames’ popup in the sun, but RF Mookie Betts threw him out at first after he rounded too far. SS Adames got Betts back a few innings later with a diving play on a grounder in the hole.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: OF Tommy Pham left the game an inning after getting hit by a pitch on the right wrist and went for X-rays that came back negative. . CF Kevin Kiermaier fouled one off the inside of his right knee, went to the ground in pain but stayed in. .. INF Joey Wendle (out since April 26, fractured right wrist) is slated to play shortstop in a rehab game for Triple-A Durham on Saturday.
Red Sox: 1B Mitch Moreland went back on the 10-day IL with a right quadriceps strain a day after he came off. He was previously out with a strained lower back. . J.D. Martinez missed his second straight game after being removed Thursday with back tightness. ”He’s doing better,” manager Alex Cora said. ”Most likely we’ll stay away from him in Game 2.”
UP NEXT
LHP David Price (3-2, 2.83 ERA) looks to keep his solid stretch going for the Red Sox in the nightcap. He’s allowed three or fewer runs in seven straight starts, and two or less in six of those. The Rays hadn’t announced a starter yet.
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