Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Matt Garza kept Boston's bats silent through seven-plus innings and Tampa Bay pulled away to earn a 9-4 win and a split of a quick two-game set at Fenway Park between the American League East foes.
Six-Run Eighth Allows Rays To Breeze Past Red Sox In Fenway
Garza (9-5) gave up three runs on six hits and two walks, striking out five to pick up the victory, just the third in the last nine games for the Rays.
Sean Rodriguez and Kelly Shoppach each drove in a pair of runs, while Jason Bartlett capped Tampa's six-run eighth inning with a three-run homer.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (5-3), in his second stint since coming off the disabled list, gave up three runs on four hits and four walks to take the loss. The right-hander struck out seven in six innings of work.
David Ortiz doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Red Sox, who had won three straight coming in.
Matsuzaka got out of the first inning unscathed after walking the bases loaded, but Matt Joyce and John Jaso each got on to start the fourth. With one out, Shoppach hit a ball just out of Mike Cameron's reach in center to bring in both runners for a 2-0 Tampa Bay lead.
Shoppach wound up with a double and came around on Ben Zobrist's two-out base hit up the middle.
Garza was on cruise control until plunking Eric Patterson with two outs in the sixth. Ortiz drove a shot high off the wall in left-center to bring in a run, but was stranded on second when Kevin Youkilis popped out.
Cameron came up with two on and two out in the seventh and sliced a liner to right that Joyce made a running catch on at the warning track.
The visitors tacked on more off Manny Delcarmen in the eighth. Evan Longoria singled through the right side of the infield and sped around on Carlos Pena's double to the right-field gap.
An infield single and walk loaded the bases for Rodriguez, whose single past a diving Marco Scutaro brought in a pair, ending Delcarmen's rough night.
Ramon Ramirez entered from the bullpen and served up a homer over the Green Monster to Bartlett, who had not gone deep since May 19 and has just two round-trippers on the season.
Randy Choate relieved Garza after the first two hitters in the home eighth reached base and was greeted by an Ortiz two-run double. Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly off Grant Balfour later in the frame made it 9-4.
Joaquin Benoit ended any hope of a miraculous comeback by throwing a scoreless ninth.
Before the game, the Sox optioned pitcher Fabio Castro to Triple-A Pawtucket after he cleared waivers, while the Rays reinstated outfielder Gabe Kapler (hip) from the 15-day disabled list...Joyce reached base in all five plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with two walks and getting hit by a pitch..The Red Sox finished June 18-9, while the Rays stumbled to a 11-14 mark...Rays center fielder B.J. Upton was held out with a quad injury...Tampa Bay leads the season series, 5-4.
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