Red Sox score 3 runs in 7th to hold of Rays 4-3, earn season-high 7th straight victory

The Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Thursday, earning their seventh consecutive victory of the season thanks to a two-run double hit by Ceddanne Rafaela during a three-run seventh inning.

Over six innings, Boston starter Walker Buehler allowed three runs off five hits, including two home runs. Aroldis Chapman recorded his 16th save and 1,300th strikeout in the ninth inning, while Chris Murphy (1-0) and Garrett Whitlock pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings.

For the Rays, Ha-Seong Kim added a single shot and Junior Caminero hit a two-run home run.

Taj Bradley of Tampa struck out five batters in six innings while giving up one run off of two hits. However, all three Boston runs were given up in the seventh inning by reliever Bryan Baker (3-3), who was making his Rays debut after being traded by the Baltimore Orioles.

Roman Anthony hit a two-out RBI single into right field in the third inning to give Boston the lead.

When Kim took Buehler to a full count and hit his first home run of the season with his 89-mph slider just over the top of the Green Monster, the Rays replied and took a 2-1 lead.

Caminero hit his 23rd solo home run of the season on Buehler’s first pitch of the inning to make it 3-1 in the sixth.

After falling behind 3-1, the Red Sox drew consecutive walks off Baker to start the seventh inning. The Red Sox then took the lead thanks to a two-run single by Rafaela and an RBI double by Marcelo Mayer.

Chandler Simpson, a rookie for Tampa Bay, increased his hitting streak to 14 games, which is the longest in Rays history.

Against Boston, RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.78 ERA) will start for the first time since July 14, 2022. Three of his last four starts have been victories for LHP Garrett Crochet (9-4, 2.39).