Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer and the Boston Red Sox snapped the Tampa Bay Rays’ six-game winning streak by beating them 9-8 on Friday.
Kevin Plawecki had three hits and two RBIs for Boston, which had lost four straight. Michael Wacha (9-1) struck out six in as many innings, calming down after a shaky start.
Tampa Bay (69-56) entered the day on top of the race for the three wild-card tickets to the playoffs in the American League. Yandy Diaz, Jose Siri and South Korea’s Ji-Man Choi each homered, but the Rays squandered an early 4-1 lead.
Boston (61-65) took the lead for good with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings and three more in the sixth.
Franchy Cordero hit his seventh homer of the season in the fourth inning, while Jarren Duran added a sacrifice fly off Ryan Yarbrough (1-8).
For the Rays, the Cubans Diaz 4-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, Randy Arozarena 3-0 with a run scored. The Dominicans Manuel Margot 1-0, Siri 4-2 with two runs scored and three produced, Francisco Mejía 4-0. Colombian Harold Ramírez 3-1 with a run scored and an RBI. Venezuelan David Peralta 4-2 with a run scored and an RBI. The Mexican Isaac Paredes 1-0.
For the Red Sox, Mexican Alex Verdugo 4-2 with one run scored and one produced. The Dominican Cordero 2-1 with a run scored and an RBI. Puerto Rican Kiké Hernández 5-3 with a run scored and an RBI.