The second game of the four-game series will follow the 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener, but more rain is in the forecast. The teams play a day game on Sunday and then the annual Patriots Day game on Monday morning.
David Ortiz was due up to start the ninth for the Sox against Rays reliever Lance Cormier. He had doubled in the sixth with Kevin Youkilis on first. Third base coach Tim Bogar chose to wave in Youkilis, but he was out at the plate, preserving the tie.
Boston did not get a hit thereafter.
Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had stranded a runner on second in the top of the ninth as the rain picked up. After he struck out B.J. Upton to end the inning, the grounds crew stormed onto the field, much to the chagrin of the handful of fans who remained.
There was a 63-minute rain delay before the official suspension was called in.
Starter Josh Beckett threw seven outstanding innings for Boston. He allowed an unearned run in the third after shortstop Marco Scutaro committed an error with two outs and then third baseman Adrian Beltre lost a flare in the lights, allowing Carl Crawford to score.
Beckett struck out eight and walked only one. He yielded four hits, but one came on the Beltre misplay and another on a lazy fly to left field that Jeremy Hermida let fall for a double. The Sox’ ace threw 71 of 106 pitches for strikes.
Boston tied it in the fifth on a solo homer by Jason Varitek, who is 3-for-6 with three home runs on the season.
Youkilis walked to lead off the sixth. Ortiz followed with a liner into the corner in right, just his fifth hit in 29 at-bats. Youkilis chugged around third but the relay beat him rather easily, wiping out the potential go-ahead run.
There is one slight bonus for the Sox in having the game suspended with extra innings looming. Center fielder Mike Cameron, who had to pass a kidney stone, may be available to return on Saturday, according to manager Terry Francona. If he does, the club would have more than just Victor Martinez and Mike Lowell available off the bench as it finishes one game and starts another.
