ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - The Boston Red Sox had a lot of hits again. However, they couldn’t put them together to get a lot of scorng.
Willy Adames homered, Michael Perez drove in four runs and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Red Sox 10-3 Friday night for their sixth straight win.
Boston finished with 13 hits, reaching double digits for the fourth time in five games.
“We got all those hits, but they were spread around,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “So it was a good night for them and a bad night for us.”
Perez had a two-run double in the second and a two-run single in Tampa Bay’s five-run third. His four RBIs matched his total in his first 20 games.
The Rays had six consecutive singles in the third against Hector Velazquez.
“That’s how you win games - two outs and you start hitting base hits,” said Carlos Gomez, who had an RBI single in the big inning. “Right now we’re really hot, pitching and hitting.”
Velazquez (7-2) gave up eight runs and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings to raise his earned run average from 2.74 to 3.69.
“I was a bit unfortunate today,” he said. “They hit some ground balls that got through that usually don’t.”
Ji-Man Choi and Adames scored in three straight innings for the Rays. Adames’ eighth home run off reliever Drew Pomeranz put the Rays up 10-2 in the fourth.
Xander Bogaerts had three hits for the Red Sox, including an RBI single in the third that gave him 15 RBIs against Tampa Bay this season. The Boston shortstop is hitting .421 in his last 15 games.
J.D. Martinez drove in his major league-leading 110th run of the season with a single in the fifth for the Red Sox, who went into the game with a 9 1/2-game lead in the AL East before losing for the fourth time in six games.
Rookie Jalen Beeks, Boston’s minor league pitcher of the year last season before his trade to Tampa Bay for Nathan Eovaldi on July 25, won for the second time six days against his former team. Beeks (3-1) gave up three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings in relief of starter Diego Castillo.
“We got some hits off him but we didn’t score. That doesn’t usually happen with us,” said Andrew Benintendi, who had one of the hits.
“We hit (Beeks) hard today. There were like six at bats that we hit blazers everywhere,” said Cora. “He spotted his fastball. That’s what we know about the kid. But to get Nathan Eovaldi, you’ve got to give up good players. … He made some pitches when he had to, but we hit him hard today.”
SMITH IN HOSPITAL
Rays OF Mallex Smith has been hospitalized for what is expected to be a short stay for treatment of a viral infection and is being placed on the 10-day disabled list. He received IV fluids and antibiotics. Smith, hitting .385 (25 for 65) in 16 games since being moved to the leadoff spot on Aug. 5, woke up feeling ill around 3 a.m. Friday
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale (shoulder inflamation) might resume throwing as soon as this weekend. … RHP Steven Wright, out two months due to left knee inflamation, threw live batting practice Friday. “He’ll probably go on a rehab assignment next week and he’ll be with us hopefully in September,” said manager Alex Cora. … 1B Mitch Moreland was “banged up a little bit” and out of the lineup. … OF-DH Martinez played right field and will again Saturday before getting two days off (including Monday’s open date).
Rays: OF Tommy Pham, who left Tuesday’s game with a dislocated right ring finger, was available off the bench.
UP NEXT
RHP Rick Porcello (8-4, 2.72 ERA in 14 career starts at Tropicana Field) will go for his 16th win Saturday night against Rays LHP Ryan Yarbrough, who leads all rookies with 12 wins. Yarbrough will be making only his sixth start.
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