The Sports Xchange
Rays 6, Red Sox 2
BOSTON — Jeremy Hellickson threw six effective innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2 Wednesday night at Fenway Park, salvaging one win in the three-game series.
Hellickson (5-3) gave up two runs on seven hits with no walks, four strikeouts, two wild pitches and a balk.
Four Rays relievers combined to throw three no-hit innings, with Fernando Rodney getting the final out in a non-save situation.
Red Sox right-hander Ryan Dempster (4-8) went six innings, giving up three runs on eight hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Tampa Bay took the lead for good on Ben Zobrist’s fifth-inning RBI single that broke a 2-2 tie. Jose Molina led off with a single and took second on a two-out walk to Desmond Jennings before scoring on Zobrist’s hit.
Evan Longoria hit a run-scoring single in the seventh, and Wil Myers followed with a two-run double for his first major league RBIs.
The Rays got on the scoreboard first with two runs in the first inning. Jennings hit a solo home run, his ninth of the season, with one out. Zobrist followed with a single, took third on Evan Longoria’s single and scored on James Loney’s sacrifice fly.
Boston got a run in the second when David Ortiz led off with a double, moved to third on Mike Napoli’s groundout and scored on Jonny Gomes’ infield single.
The Red Sox tied the score 2-2 in the fourth when Gomes’ single knocked in Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who had hit a two-out double.
NOTES: After catching all 18 innings of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Saltalamacchia was behind the plate again Wednesday for the series finale. … The Red Sox announced the signing of LHP Trey Ball, their first pick in this year’s draft. … Despite his struggles, RHP Andrew Bailey remains the Red Sox’s closer, manager John Farrell said. … Boston C David Ross, who is on the seven-day disabled list, will travel to Pittsburgh on Thursday to be examined by concussion specialist Michael Collins. Ross took a foul tip off his mask in Friday’s game in Baltimore. It is the second time this season he has been on the concussion DL. … Red Sox 1B/OF Mike Carp was unavailable again for defense. He left Sunday’s game in Baltimore with cramping in his right hamstring. … Rays LHP David Price is expected to make his first rehab start Friday for Class A Charlotte (Port Charlotte, Fla.). He has been on the DL since May 16 with a left triceps strain. Price suffered a setback when he felt soreness after throwing a simulated game during the Rays last home game.
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