Rays top Red Sox 8-5
ST. PETERSBURG (AP) – Pat Burrell snapped an eighth-inning tie with a RBI single and Evan Longoria followed with a two-run homer Wednesday night to help Tampa Bay avoid falling farther back in the AL playoff race with an 8-5 victory over Boston.
A night after playing poorly in the opener of a series crucial to their hopes of returning to the postseason, the defending AL champions rebounded with a solid effort to nudge back within five games of the wild card-leading Red Sox.
J.P. Howell (7-4) pitched one inning to earn the victory, despite allowing Boston to tie the game 5-5 in the eighth on his wild pitch with the bases loaded. Dan Wheeler got the final two outs for his second save.
Carlos Pena led off the bottom of the eighth with a double off Ramon Ramirez (7-4), then scored on Burrell’s single to right-center. Longoria’s 26th homer – eighth against Boston this season – came on reliever Manny Delcarmen’s first pitch.
Burrell and Carl Crawford hit solo homers off Red Sox ace Josh Beckett, who gave up five runs and seven hits while striking out nine in six innings. The Rays led 5-1 before the Red Sox scored twice in the fourth and once in the seventh to get back in the game.
Jason Bay, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Victor Martinez drove in runs off Rays starter Matt Garza, who allowed four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Marlins 8, Braves 7: Wes Helms hit a game-winning homer, Dan Uggla had a two-run shot after challenging teammate Hanley Ramirez’s effort, and Florida beat Atlanta.
Helms hit the 3-2 pitch off Mike Gonzalez (3-4) well over the left-field scoreboard, sending teammates pouring out of the dugout in celebration.
Brett Carroll hit a bases-clearing double, and Ross Gload finished a home run shy of the cycle to help Florida end a day of infighting with a win.
Yunel Escobar homered in the top of the ninth off Leo Nunez (4-4) to tie the game.