ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Story homered within the sixth inning then scored the successful run on Jarren Duran’s single within the eighth because the Boston Crimson Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday evening.
Story opened the eighth with a comebacker single off Drew Rasmussen (0-2). After stealing second and third, he scored when Duran grounded his hit to proper previous a drawn-in infield.
“That’s enjoyable,” Story stated. “I really feel like that’s the kind of baseball we will play.”
Boston had dropped 9 of its earlier 10 street video games.
Justin Slaten (6-2) labored out of a first-and-third, no-out jam within the seventh for the win and Kenley Jansen, the fifth Crimson Sox reliever, labored the ninth for his twenty seventh save in 31 possibilities.
Jansen was checked out after strolling Austin Shenton on 4 pitches with two outs, however remained within the recreation. He additionally walked Taylor Partitions however struck out Logan Driscoll on a 3-2 pitch to finish it.
“He’s been coping with some shoulder stuff,” Crimson Sox supervisor Alex Cora stated. “It felt like he was favoring it or no matter you need to name it. I checked with him, (and) he’s like ‘I’m good to go.’ We’ll know extra tonight or tomorrow and we’ll see the place we’re at.”
Boston moved inside 4 video games — whereas Tampa Bay remained six again — of Minnesota for the ultimate AL wild card. The Crimson Sox and Rays each have 10 video games left and likewise must overtake Seattle and Detroit.
The Crimson Sox begin a three-game sequence with the Twins on Friday evening at Fenway Park.
Boston had just one baserunner towards Ryan Pepiot earlier than Story tied it at 1-all with a leadoff homer within the sixth.
Pepiot struck out a career-high 12 in six innings. He struck out the aspect on 9 pitches within the fifth for the fourth immaculate inning in staff historical past and the primary since José Alvarado did it towards Milwaukee on Aug, 4, 2017.
“You’ve got to have some fairly good things going that evening to do this,” Rays supervisor Kevin Money stated. “These hitters are actually good, and he had it going.”
Pepiot allowed one run and two hits after being pulled in his earlier begin on Sept. 12 after two innings in a precautionary transfer as a result of his velocity was down.
“I believe I felt the identical at present as I did final one,” Pepiot stated. “Ball was simply popping out (at present). So, I actually don’t have any higher reply than that.”
Rays left fielder Christopher Morel made a leaping catch on the wall to remove an extra-base hit from Triston Casas with two on and two out within the seventh.
Partitions’ second-inning RBI single off Tanner Houck put the Rays up 1-0.
Houck gave up one run, 4 hits and struck out 4 over 4 innings in his first begin since Sept. 4. The correct-hander was on a pitch depend after being slowed by proper shoulder fatigue.
“I felt good,” Houck stated. “I felt sturdy.”
Houck plans to make his last two begins of the common season.
“This 12 months is just not carried out by any means,” Houck stated. “We’ve received some significant video games to play and proceed this push. We all know we’ve received a little bit little bit of gap to dig out of. I belief everyone within the locker room are going to point out up and do the suitable factor.”
UP NEXT
Rays RHP Zack Littell (7-9, 3.73 ERA) will begin Thursday evening’s sequence finale. RHP Brayan Bello (14-7, 4.60) will begin for the Crimson Sox.
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