Rays beat – Nick Martinez scattered hits for seven innings, Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes came through with RBI doubles, and the Tampa Bay Rays held off the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays didn’t just get a lead. They built it in the middle innings, when Nick Martinez’s pitching kept Boston at arm’s length and Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes turned pressure into runs.
Tampa Bay held on for a 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. Martinez (6-2) gave up three runs while striking out two and allowed six hits over seven innings. After that. the bullpen tightened the door: Kevin Kelly added a hitless eighth. and Bryan Baker pitched the ninth for his 18th save.
Williamson and Fortes provided the key blows with RBI doubles. Together, they each finished with two hits, and the Rays managed 12 hits overall while going 5 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Ryan Vilade had three hits and scored the Rays’ first run in the fourth inning. Jarren Duran’s RBI single in the third inning opened the scoring for Boston.
Boston rookie Payton Tolle (3-3) went six innings, allowing nine hits and four runs while striking out three. His streak of eight consecutive starts with three or fewer runs allowed ended with this one.
The Rays scored three times in the fourth to take the lead, then added an insurance run in the sixth on Richie Palacios’ single. That set up a late push from the Red Sox.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa went 2 for 3 with two runs, and Marcelo Mayer drove in two runs with an eighth-inning double that pulled Boston within 4-3.
In the eighth, Boston threatened to tie the game. Kelly entered and forced three straight groundouts to end the threat.
Tampa Bay RHP Drew Rasmussen (5-2, 3.00 ERA) is slated to start in the series finale. Boston has not named a starter.
Tampa Bay Rays Boston Red Sox Nick Martinez Ben Williamson Nick Fortes RBI doubles Payton Tolle Bryan Baker Kevin Kelly Drew Rasmussen Marcelo Mayer