TAMPA (AP) — David Hamilton hit a third-inning home run, four pitchers combined to strike out 13 and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Wednesday night.
Hamilton lined a 3-2 fastball just inside the right-field foul pole off Rays starter Zack Littell (0-4) to lead off the third and give Boston all it needed in the three-game series finale. The Red Sox rebounded from Monday’s 16-1 loss to win the final two games.
Playing without Alex Bregman, on paternity leave after a career-high five hits with two homers in Tuesday’s win, the Boston bullpen limited the Rays to one hit over the final 4 1/3 innings.
Relievers Greg Weissert (1-0), Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten combined to retire 13 of the final 14 Tampa Bay hitters with no walks and nine strikeouts.
Slaten retired all three batters in the ninth, fanning two, for his second save.
Red Sox starter Sean Newcomb walked the first hitter of the game but allowed just four hits over 4 2/3 innings. Boston didn’t allow a runner past second base.
Littell pitched six strong innings, allowing five hits and one run, but the Rays gave him no run support. Tampa Bay has scored two or fewer runs in 21 of his last 24 starts.
Key moment
Newcomb left in the fifth with a 1-0 lead, two outs and the tying run on second. Weissert entered and struck out Yandy Díaz to get out of the inning.
Key stat
Rafael Devers became the 31st player to appear in 1,000 games in a Red Sox uniform.
Up next
Taj Bradley (2-0, 3.71 ERA) starts for the Rays in the opener of a four-game series against the Yankees on Thursday. New York starts Will Warren (1-0, 5.14).
Boston has Thursday off before starting a seven-game homestand on Friday against the White Sox and Mariners.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Zak Gilbert, The Associated Press
