St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Adrian Beltre finished 4-for-5 with two homers, drove in a season-high six runs and scored three times as Boston downed Tampa Bay, 11-3, in the finale of a three-game series from Tropicana Field.
Adrian Beltre Powers Red Sox Past Rays As Boston Complete Three-Game Sweep
David Ortiz collected two hits including a two-run blast for the Red Sox, who swept the set and have won eight of their last nine overall. Darnell McDonald added two RBI and Jeremy Hermida also knocked in a run.
John Lackey (5-3) worked 6 1/3 innings for his first win in three starts, limiting Tampa to two runs despite walking four and allowing eight hits.
Reid Brignac drove in two runs and Ben Zobrist homered for the Rays, who have dropped four of six.
Matt Garza (5-3) was charged in the loss for five hits and six runs, with five walks and three strikeouts. He also served up three homers.
Beltre smacked a leadoff shot to left in the second, then the Rays came back with one in the home half. Hank Blalock singled, Carlos Pena walked, both moved up on a sacrifice bunt and Blalock scored on a Brignac groundout.
Beltre launched his second of the game -- a three-run homer with two down in the third -- for a 4-1 Sox lead. Pena doubled and later scored on a Brignac single in the fourth for a 4-2 contest.
Ortiz ripped a two-run shot to right to put Boston ahead 6-2 in the fifth, then in the ninth the Sox tacked on five more.
Beltre produced a two-run triple and Hermida followed by knocking in Beltre with a single. McDonald then put the Red Sox in double digits with a double inside the third-base bag, plating two more runs for an 11-2 contest.
Zobrist homered off Joe Nelson in the bottom of the ninth, and though Evan Longoria walked, John Jaso was retired on a fly out and Blalock was called out on strikes to end the rout.
Boston finished its six-game road trip at 5-1...Lackey's last win came on May 10 against Toronto...The Red Sox open a four-game series with Kansas City on Thursday...The Rays also host a four-game set next. The series against the White Sox starts Thursday.
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