Red Sox Wrap: Aaron Hill Tallies Two RBI In Debut; Sox Beat Rays 6-5

BOSTON — The Red Sox began their final series before the All-Star break on a high note with a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

Friday night’s victory puts the Red Sox two games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles and one behind the second-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.

Here’s a recap of the series opener.

GAME IN A WORD
Speed.

These teams combined for seven stolen bases. Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts and Rays left fielder Nick Franklin stole two bags each.

IT WAS OVER WHEN… 
Aaron Hill provided the Red Sox an insurance run in the eighth inning with an RBI single, giving Boston a 6-4 lead. It ended up being the winning run.

ON THE BUMP
— O’Sullivan struck out two and gave up a single to Rays third baseman Evan Longoria in a scoreless first inning. He recorded two quick outs in the second, but a single, a double and a stolen base allowed the Rays to plate a run. He got out of the inning without further damage.

The right-hander gave up a home run to second baseman Logan Forsythe to begin the third inning. Tampa Bay didn’t score any more runs in the frame, as O’Sullivan retired the next three batters.

He gave up another run in the fifth inning as a hit, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Brad Miller trimmed Boston’s lead to 4-3. Longoria blasted an RBI single off the Green Monster to tie the game in the next at-bat. The bases eventually were loaded with right fielder Scott Souza Jr. at the plate, and he grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

O’Sullivan finished his outing after the fifth inning. He gave up seven hits, four earned runs and walked one while striking out four.

— Robbie Ross Jr. entered the sixth in relief of O’Sullivan. He pitched a scoreless inning that included a hit and a strikeout. He recorded the first out of the seventh inning before being replaced by Heath Hembree.

— Hembree recorded the last two outs of the seventh to preserve Boston’s 5-4 lead.

— Matt Barnes entered the eighth inning and struck out the side. He also gave up one walk.

— Koji Uehara picked up the save, but it got interesting when Longoria blasted a solo homer in the ninth inning.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mookie Betts walked to lead off the game and promptly stole second base. He later scored the first run of the game. Betts collected a seventh-inning single to go 1-for-3 and stole second again.

— Dustin Pedroia (1-for-4) singled to left in the first inning, his only hit of the game. He also scored a run.

— Xander Bogaerts knocked in a run with an RBI single in the first inning. He finished 1-for-4.

— Hanley Ramirez drew a first-inning walk to load the bases with one out and went 1-for-3 with a run. Travis Shaw replaced Ramirez in the ninth after he was hit in the shin with a foul ball, but Shaw didn’t see an at-bat.

— Jackie Bradley Jr.’s sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the first inning. He also singled in the eighth inning to finish 1-for-3.

— David Ortiz broke a 2-2 tie with a solo blast in the fourth inning. It was his 21st home run of the season. He went 1-for-4.

— Brock Holt singled in the fourth inning. He stole second shortly after but slid awkwardly into the base and was forced to leave the game with a left ankle sprain. Bryce Brentz came in as a pinch runner. Brentz hit an RBI single in the sixth inning to give Boston a 5-4 lead, and he singled again in the eighth inning to go 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI.

— Aaron Hill picked up his first hit as a Red Sox player with an RBI single in the fourth inning. He tallied another RBI single in the eighth inning, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

— Sandy Leon (0-for-4) was the only Boston starter without a hit.

TWEET OF THE NIGHT

UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Rays resume their weekend series Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Boston starter Rick Porcello will go up against Tampa Bay left-hander Matt Moore.

Thumbnail photo via Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports Images