BOSTON (AP) — Hanley Ramirez hit a grand slam, and Aaron Hill later sliced an RBI single to break an eighth-inning tie on Wednesday to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-6.
Jackie Bradley Jr., who had three hits, and Xander Bogaerts each homered for the Red Sox. Dustin Pedroia had three more hits for Boston, which had lost five of its previous seven games after moving into a tie for first place in the AL East.
Pedroia has 15 hits in his last 20 at-bats and is batting .463 since moving into the leadoff spot on Aug. 10.
Junichi Tazawa (3-2) earned the victory despite allowing a two-run single after Boston took a 6-4 lead on the homers by Ramirez and Bradley. Craig Kimbrel closed for his 24th save.
Erasmo Ramirez (7-10) gave up Hill’s single and an RBI double by Bradley in the eighth.
Kevin Kiermaier had three hits for the Rays, and Logan Forsythe and Logan Morrison each homered as Tampa Bay opened a 4-1 lead through four innings.
But Boston took the lead in the fifth after Drew Smyly loaded the bases on two hits and a two-out walk.
Hanley Ramirez hit the next pitch over the Green Monster for his 19th homer of the season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: RP Brad Ziegler was unavailable with the flu. Manager John Farrell said he would fly on his own to the West Coast “to keep him away from others … being so contagious.”
UP NEXT
Rays: Off Thursday, home against Toronto on Friday with Alex Cobb making his 2016 debut against Francisco Liriano (7-12).
Red Sox: Off Thursday, at Oakland on Friday with David Price (13-9) against Andrew Triggs (1-1).
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