ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Shane McClanahan became the first Tampa Bay starter to post a win this season when the Rays rallied from a two-run first-inning deficit to beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Sunday.
After going without a single hit in the first nine innings of a 10-inning loss Saturday night, the Red Sox had four hits on McClanahan’s first nine pitches.
Pinch hitter Ji-Man Choi had a two-run double that tied the score and the Rays scored three times in the fifth inning.
Yandy Diaz, reinstated from the COVID-19 disabled list, added a seventh-inning home run off Jake Diekman to help give Boston its fourth loss in five games.
McClanahan (1-1) gave up RBI singles to Kiké Hernández and Alex Verdugo in the first inning and then held the shutout from the second through sixth innings. He allowed six hits, struck out seven and did not walk.
Colin Poche and Ryan Thompson followed with hitless relief, and Thompson got three outs for his second major league save, his first since Sept. 19, 2020. Tampa Bay’s previous eight wins this year came from its bullpen.
For the Rays, Cubans Diaz 2-1 with a run scored and two RBIs and Randy Arozarena 4-2 with runs scored. The Dominicans Manuel Margot 4-0 with an RBI, Wander Franco 3-0 with a run scored, and Vidal Bruján 3-0. Colombian Harold Ramírez 1-1.
For the Red Sox, the Puerto Ricans Hernández 3-1 with runs scored and RBIs, and Christian Vázquez 3-0. The Mexican Verdugo 4-1 with an RBI. The Dominican Rafael Devers 4-1.