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 Even though his time in Boston was short, the Tampa Bay Rays first
baseman has fond memories of his days with the Red Sox.
Of course, the feeling wasn't mutual Sunday.
Loney drove in two runs, including the winning run on a one-out
bloop single to center in the eighth inning, as the Rays avoided a
three-game sweep with a 4-3 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway.
"It's always fun coming back," said Loney, who hit .230 with two
home runs and eight RBIs in 30 games with the Red Sox in 2012. "I
love playing here. Fenway Park is one of my favorite parks to play
in. You always get a good crowd, a good atmosphere."
Loney's tenure in Boston may have played a role in his current
situation, as Tampa Bay was able to get a closer look at him after
he arrived in the blockbuster deal between the Los Angeles Dodgers
and Red Sox involving stars Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh
Beckett.
"They had talked about how they saw me in Boston and that was
something they liked when I was here," Loney said.
Loney's go-ahead hit Sunday scored Rays shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera
from second. Cabrera had hit a ground-rule double to right to tie
the game as third baseman Evan Longoria crossed the plate. Longoria
led off the eighth with a double off the Green Monster in left
field.
Loney and Cabrera each had two hits, and right fielder Brandon Guyer
hit a solo homer and walked twice to lead Tampa Bay (52-54), which
snapped a three-game losing streak.
"Good win," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "I thought (right-hander
Jake Odorizzi) was good. He kind of had to grind it out a little
bit. He didn't have his best command, fell behind a lot of hitters.
To his credit, he limited damage after basically the first inning
and in the third."
Odorizzi took a no-decision for Tampa Bay after allowing three runs
on seven hits and a walk while striking out five in six innings.
Right-hander Steve Geltz (2-4) earned the win in relief.
Right-hander Junichi Tazawa (2-4) gave up the tying and winning runs
for Boston (47-59).
Wade Miley did not factor in the decision either, as the Red Sox
left-hander was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk and
struck out four in 6 2/3 innings.
"I thought he blended his offspeed pitches in well against a heavily
right-handed-hitting lineup," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.
"The 3-2 fastball that Guyer runs into to get things started, other
than that he was in command for the time that he was on the mound
today."
Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez was 2-for-4 and drove in a run,
designated hitter David Ortiz was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and first
baseman Mike Napoli was 1-for-4 with an RBI for Boston.
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Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval, making his return from a left
forearm injury, struck out swinging as a pinch hitter for catcher
Ryan Hanigan in the ninth.
Guyer took Miley deep on the seventh pitch of the game for his
second leadoff home run of the season to put Tampa Bay up 1-0.
Ramirez's one-out double off the Green Monster in the bottom of the
first tied it for the Red Sox and Napoli singled to center to plate
Ramirez and make it a 2-1 game.
Ortiz sent another double off the Green Monster with one out in the
third, extending the Red Sox's lead to 3-1.
Loney's two-out double to right in the fourth scored Cabrera to cut
the Rays' deficit to 3-2.
Tampa Bay designated hitter Joey Butler struck out swinging with the
bases loaded to end the seventh after Red Sox left-hander Robbie
Ross Jr. hit one batter and walked another in relief of Miley.
NOTES: Boston hasn't swept a three-game series since June 5-7 in
Oakland. ... Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino will step down at the end of
the 2015 season. "It's never easy to leave a job you love, but I
look forward to the next chapters," Lucchino said in a statement.
... Tampa Bay placed OF Steven Souza Jr. (fractured left hand) on
the 15-day disabled list. OF Mikie Mahtook was recalled from
Triple-A Durham. ... Tampa Bay will option LHP Matt Moore to Durham
on Monday. Moore is 1-3 with an 8.78 ERA since returning from Tommy
John surgery. ... Red Sox RHP Rick Porcello (right triceps strain)
was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Porcello is 5-11 with a 5.81
ERA in 2015. ... Boston activated RHP Ryan Cook, acquired Friday
from the Athletics.
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