Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Box Score on Sep 13, 2020

Boston's Martin Perez won for the first time in seven starts, Christian Arroyo homered for the second straight game, and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Sunday afternoon at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Perez (3-4) tossed five innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits with six strikeouts. It was his first victory since Aug. 5 when he and four relievers combined on a 5-0 blanking at Tropicana Field - the only shutout against the Rays this year.

Both Arroyo and Christian Vazquez slugged two-run homers, Rafael Devers went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and Yairo Munoz had two hits, a double, two runs and a stolen base.

The win gave the Red Sox (17-31) a split of the four-game series, but the Rays (30-17) claimed seven of 10 against their division rival in the just-completed season series.

Tampa Bay's Charlie Morton allowed three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings in his third start since returning from the injured list after right shoulder inflammation. Kevan Smith homered for the Rays, and Mike Brosseau went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

Boston wasted no time in getting out to a 2-0 lead shortly after first pitch. Munoz lined a double to right, and Vazquez homered to left-center field, his fifth.

The Rays cut the deficit to a run in their half of the first when Joey Wendle chopped an infield single over the mound and Brosseau drove a double off the wall in right for an RBI.

Smith put Tampa Bay ahead for the first time in the fourth by clubbing a mammoth homer to left - his first as a member of the American League East leaders. His shot scored Willy Adames, who reached on shortstop Tzu-Wei Lin's throwing error.

Devers (double) and J.D Martinez (ground out) drove in runs in the Boston fifth against Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks (4-3), pushing the Red Sox ahead 4-3. Arroyo laced a two-run shot for an opposite-field homer to right - his second this season - an inning later off reliever Ryan Thompson.

The Rays put two on in the seventh against reliever Ryan Weber, but right-hander Ryan Brasier came in and struck out Nate Lowe swinging to keep it 6-3.

Matt Barnes allowed one hit and fanned two in a scoreless ninth for his sixth save in nine opportunities.

--Field Level Media