Key facts
- Drew Rasmussen recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings for the Rays.
- The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Boston Red Sox 7-5 to complete a series sweep.
- Ceddanne Rafaela hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox in the eighth inning.
- Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer for the Rays in the eighth inning.
- Yandy Díaz extended his on-base streak to 24 games.
Drew Rasmussen delivered a dominant performance, striking out a career-high 13 batters over seven scoreless innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. The win completed a sweep for the Rays, marking their first sweep of the Red Sox since 2023 and extending their impressive season-opening home streak against AL East opponents to 12-0.
Rasmussen (6-2) was in control from the start, fanning his first four hitters and not allowing a runner to reach third base. The top of Boston's lineup struggled significantly against the right-hander, going a combined 0 for 11 with 11 strikeouts. The Rays held a 5-0 lead when Rasmussen exited the game.
The Red Sox mounted a comeback in the eighth inning, scoring four runs against the Rays' bullpen, highlighted by Ceddanne Rafaela's three-run homer and a solo shot from Caleb Durbin. However, the Rays quickly responded. Nick Fortes contributed his fourth hit, and Cedric Mullins added a two-run homer off Boston reliever Justin Slaten. Garrett Cleavinger closed out the game for his second save, despite surrendering another home run to Durbin.
Tampa Bay's offense manufactured runs early, scoring in the third inning through a combination of a Fortes double, a Mullins sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly from Taylor Walls. Yandy Díaz, who had three hits and two RBIs, continued his strong season by extending his major league-leading on-base streak to 24 games.