Diaz homers, Morton goes 6 scoreless as Rays top Red Sox 2-1

BOSTON — BOSTON (AP) - Yandy Diaz hit David Price's second pitch over the Green Monster for a home run, Charlie Morton pitched six shutout innings and the Tampa Bay Rays held off the Boston Red Sox 2-1 Saturday.

Mike Zunino added a fourth-inning RBI single off the Monster for the AL East-leading Rays, who were swept at home by Boston in a three-game series last weekend.

Morton (3-0) gave up two hits, struck out five and walked four, and five relievers completed a five-hitter.

Mookie Betts hit an eighth-inning homer into the center-field batter's eye against Diego Castillo. The Red Sox loaded the bases with two outs before José Alvarado struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. swinging on a sharp slider.

Emilio Pagán allowed Christian Vázquez's leadoff single in the ninth, then threw a called third strike past Andrew Benintendi, then gave up a popup to Betts that Diaz lost and allowed to drop on the infield dirt. The first baseman grabbed the ball and threw to second to force Vázquez, and Pagán struck out Mitch Moreland for his third save.

Price (1-2) gave up two runs, four hits and three walks in six innings. He entered 10-2 with a 2.78 ERA in his previous 17 starts in Fenway Park.

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Boston slugger J.D. Martinez was scratched from the lineup because of back spasms.

Tampa Bay had lost five of seven coming in and had not played since Wednesday afternoon.

MEMORY LANE

Seventeen years earlier, Red Sox right-hander Derek Lowe no-hit the Rays in a 10-0 victory. It was the first no-hitter in Fenway Park since Boston's Dave Morehead accomplished the feat on Sept. 16, 1965.

WINDY CITY II

A stiff 18 mph breeze was blowing straight out at the first pitch, with wrappers flying around the outfield grass, at times, during the game.

It might have helped Diaz's drive, too.

"Yeah, you're aware of this stadium and how it can play with the wind," Rays manager Kevin Cash, saying it reminded him of Chicago's Wrigley Field.

TRAINER'S ROOM

RHP Hunter Wood is on the family medical emergency list after the premature birth of his daughter.

2B Dustin Pedroia (IL, left knee irritation) and INF Eduardo Nunez (IL, mid-back strain) took grounders and appeared to be moving freely when they ran down the first-base line and from first to third before Boston took batting practice. ... Benintendi was hit on the left foot by a pitch, limped to first and stayed in.

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Plate umpire Chris Segal took a Castillo fastball off his left shoulder after it nicked Zunino's glove.

UP NEXT

RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 1.53 ERA) is set to start the series finale Sunday. He has allowed two runs or fewer in all five starts, including last Sunday over 5 1/3 innings against Boston.

LHP Chris Sale (0-4, 7.43) has gone without a win in his first five starts for the first time in his major league career.

Associated Press