Garza, Rays top Red Sox 4-3
Matt Garza pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, Tampa Bay hit three homers off Daisuke Matsuzaka, and the Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 Thursday to win their opening three-game series.
Evan Longoria had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Matt Joyce and Shawn Riggans also homered for the defending AL champions.
Garza (1-0) allowed one run and three walks, struck out five to improve to 6-1 against the Red Sox.
Matsuzaka (0-1) gave up four runs, nine hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. The three homers matches his career high.
Kevin Youkilis was 3-for-4 with a walk for Boston, singling off Brian Shouse with one out in the eighth and scoring when Joe Nelson walked Jason Bay and gave up a double to Mike Lowell. Nelson struck out Jed Lowrie on a full count to end the threat, and Troy Percival came on to pitch the ninth.
After giving up a leadoff homer to Jason Varitek, Percival got Jacoby Ellsbury on a flyout and Dustin Pedroia on a hard drive to third that Longoria stabbed on one hop. David Ortiz walked, but Youkilis flied out and Percival earned his first save.
Boston had not lost an opening series since 1988, but the Red Sox have now lost consecutive regular-season series at Fenway Park to the Rays, who had gone 25 straight visits to Boston without winning a series. Tampa Bay heads to Baltimore to play the Orioles, a team the Rays have beaten 12 straight times.