LDN - Sports

Price pitches Red Sox to win over Rays

[August 23, 2016] ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- On a night in which David Price dominated for eight innings, a smart defensive switch helped the Boston Red Sox in the eighth.

Rookie Andrew Benintendi, shifted from center to left field that very inning, went over the wall in left field to rob the Tampa Bay Rays' Steven Souza Jr. of a two-run home run, helping Boston pull away to a 6-2 win as Price threw eight shutout innings in a 6-2 win at Tropicana Field on Monday.

"That's a highlight-reel play at a pivotal time in the game," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "In a three-run game, that late, to take away a two-run homer, it's a huge difference in the ballgame."

Price (12-8) won at the Trop for the first time as a visitor, taking a one-hitter into the eighth and striking out eight against his former team. He finished allowing two hits and two walks in his eight innings of work.

The Red Sox (70-54) moved into a first-place tie in the American League East with idle Toronto as Boston gained a share of first place for the first time in more than a month. Meanwhile, the Rays (52-71) cooled off after winning six of their previous seven.

"It was a really strong start by David Price," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Offensively, a pretty quiet night there until the end. Price had good stuff. We probably got some pitches to hit that we just missed."

Farrell had moved Benintendi to left field to sub for Chris Young, who played well in his first game in two months after returning from the disabled list. When Souza sent a shot to left field, Benintendi went over the short wall down the left-field line to rob him of what looked like a sure home run.

"We kind of stumbled into it, but one heck of a play by Drew," Farrell said.

Evan Longoria spoiled the shutout with a two-run home run, his 29th this season, off reliever Matt Barnes in the ninth inning. The Rays had more hits in the ninth (three) than in eight innings against Price.

Price, the former Rays ace was 0-3 in three previous starts against Tampa Bay at the Trop, but pitched a gem Monday.

Two of Boston's first three runs came on sacrifice flies, with Benintendi getting one in the fourth and Hanley Ramirez adding another in the seventh. The eighth inning was the Rays' only real threat, with Tim Beckham leading off the inning with Tampa Bay's second hit and Souza following with Benintendi's gem.

"Pretty stunned," Souza said of the catch. "That was an unbelievable play. He ran a long way, was at full speed and then to go over and hold onto the ball was pretty impressive."

The Red Sox pulled away in the ninth, with Dustin Pedroia reaching base on a throwing error by reliever Danny Farquhar, who then served up a two-run home run to Xander Bogaerts, his 15th of the season, for a 5-0 lead. Sandy Leon brought in another run with an RBI groundout to score Mookie Betts, who had singled.

Price, seeking his first win as a visitor at Tropicana Field after three losses, retired the first nine batters in order and allowed only one hit in the first five innings.

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Red Sox starting pitcher David Price (24) smiles in the dugout at the end of the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Logan Forsythe led off the fourth with a single and was thrown out trying to steal second, with a fifth-inning walk as the Rays' only other baserunner in the first five innings.

Rays starter Blake Snell struggled with control, walking a season-high five batters and lasting only 3 2/3 innings.

Boston struck for two runs in the fourth, with Ramirez reaching on a walk and Leon following with a single. Chris Young, activated from the disabled list and playing for the first time in two months, came through with an RBI double down the left-field line to score Ramirez for a 1-0 lead.

After another walk to load the bases, Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly to score Leon for a 2-0 lead.

Snell loaded the bases again with another walk, but reliever Erasmo Ramirez came in with two runners on and got a groundout to third from Bogaerts to end the inning. Snell followed with a scoreless fifth.

NOTES: The Red Sox activated OF Chris Young from the 15-day disabled list after missing 51 games since June 24 with a hamstring strain. Young returned to the lineup on Monday, batting seventh and playing left field. He was hitting .277 with six home runs and 15 RBIs before the injury and had batted .310 since May 10 after a slow start. To make room for Young, the Red Sox optioned LHP Henry Owens to Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Rays 2B Logan Forsythe entered Monday night with home runs in three straight games, becoming just the second Rays player to do so from the leadoff spot. Gerald Williams was the first in 2000. Forsythe has 16 homers, putting him on pace to challenge Williams' team record of 21 out of the leadoff spot, also set in 2000. ... Rays OF Kevin Kiermaier returned to center field after missing two starts with hip tightness. He had entered as a defensive replacement in Sunday's game.

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