Rafael Devers sets team record by homering in 6th straight game as Red Sox top Rays 5-0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Rafael Devers set a team record by homering in his sixth consecutive game, Tanner Houck allowed two hits over seven innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-0 on Monday night.

Devers had shared the Boston mark of a five-game homer streak with six others, including Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx.

Houck (4-5) allowed a third-inning single to Yandy Díaz and an infield hit to Josh Lowe in the seventh. He struck out five and was charged with one walk — which occurred when Devers was ruled to have violated defensive shift rules for an automatic ball on Jonathan Aranda's groundout in the second on a 3-2 pitch.

Ceddanne Rafaela also homered for the Red Sox, who returned to .500 at 24-24.

Justin Slaten completed a three-hitter as Boston improved to 6-22 at Tampa Bay since the start of the 2021 season.

Rays starter Taj Bradley (1-2) struck out eight of his first nine batters before Jarren Duran opened the fourth with a triple and scored on a double by Wilyer Abreu. Devers put Boston up 3-0 as he extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his 10th homer, an opposite-field two-run drive to left.

Rafaela was hitless in 17 at-bats before his fifth-inning two-run drive against Bradley made it 5-0.

Bradley gave up five runs, six hits and struck out 10 in a career-high seven innings. It was the right-hander's third start this year after he began the season sidelined by a right pectoral strain.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Opening-day starter Zach Eflin went on the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation and is expected to miss two to four weeks. ... 2B Brandon Lowe (right oblique strain) returned after missing 37 games and went 0 for 3.

UP NEXT

Boston RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.76 ERA) and Rays RHP Zack Littell (2-2, 3.44 ERA) are Tuesday night’s starters.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Mark Didtler, The Associated Press