The Boston Red Sox are rolling.
Quickly putting the slow start to the season beind them, the Sox on Wednesday completed their series sweep of the Rays, beating Tampa Bay 9-2 in a matinee at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning and never looked back, really putting things away with a six-run fifth inning.
On the mound, Nathan Eovaldi was sharp across seven innings of action, allowing just one run.
The Red Sox climb to 3-3 with the win. The Rays fall to 2-4 with the loss.
GAME IN A WORD
Smooth.
On the mound and at the dish, it was smooth sailing for the Sox on Wednesday.
ON THE BUMP
— It was a quiet afternoon for Eovaldi, who stifled Rays hitters across seven innings. He finished his outing having allowed one run on three hits with as many walks and five strikeouts.
After a scoreless first two innings, Eovaldi surrendered a one-out double to Francisco Mejia, who came home two batters later on a Yoshi Tsutsugo single.
Aside from that, the right-hander cruised. Eovaldi who didn’t allow a runner past second the rest of the game, while also pitching a 1-2-3 fifth inning.
— Josh Taylor pitched a hitless, scoreless eighth. The lefty gave up a run in the ninth but ultimately closed out the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Following a quiet first third of the game, the Red Sox offense heated up.
Rafael Devers kicked off the frame with a walk, and, came home a ccouple batters later on a J.D. Martinez single, which tied the game at one.
The next hitter was Christian Vazquez, who hit yet another missile over the Green Monster after doing so Tuesday. This time, it made it 3-1 Sox in the fourth.
— Martinez continued tearing into opposing pitching in what ultimately was a six-run fifth.
With two down and runners on first and second, Martinez roped his sixth double of the season, tagging a Ryan Yarborough 0-1 breaking ball high off the Monster. That drove in a pair to put the Sox ahead 5-1.
The offense didn’t stop there, though.
A Xander Bogaerts single put runners on the corners, which allowed Martinez to come home on Vazquez’s single. The next hitter, Hunter Renfroe, grounded to shortstop, but Willy Adames threw the ball away, allowing Renfroe to reach safely while Vazquez and Bogaerts came home to make it 8-1.
Christian Arroyo double to bring home Renfroe, which made it 9-1 Boston before Bobby Dalbec grounded out to end the inning.
— The Red Sox finished with 13 hits.
TWEET OF THE GAME
The Red Sox sure did.
UP NEXT
Boston will travel to Baltimore for a three-game set against the Orioles. The series opener will be Thursday, with Eduardo Rodriguez making his season debut, with the O’s starter to be determined. First pitch from Oriole Park at Camden Yards is set for 3:05 p.m. ET.
