ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Boston Red Sox were down to their last strike when Will Middlebrooks made the most of a mistake.

Middlebrooks had a threerun double off closer Fernando Rodney with two outs in the ninth inning that lifted the Red Sox past the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Thursday night.

“He hung me a changeup and normally he buries that pitch, and he left it up,” Middlebrooks said.

Middlebrooks lined a shot to left on a 1-2 pitch from Rodney (1-2) with the base loaded, giving the Red Sox the lead. Rodney, who blew just two saves last year, is seven for 10 in save opportunities this year.

After walking Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, Rodney struck out Mike Napoli before loading the bases with a walk to Daniel Nava. Stephen Drew struck out, but Middlebrooks then came up with his bases-clearing hit.

“The approach by everybody in the ninth inning … we took some close pitches,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “We load the bases via the walk. Even though we’re going up against a guy that’s got tremendous stuff, there was no give up, there was not letdown.”

Rodney finished with four walks, which is a career high.

Junichi Tazawa (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. He retired James Loney on a grounder with two on and two outs in the ninth.

The Red Sox had been 0-12 when trailing after eight innings.

Felix Doubront gave up two runs, three hits, six walks and had seven strikeouts over five-plus innings for the Red Sox, who are 6-9 in May. He threw 104 pitches, including 54 strikes.

Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb allowed one run and three hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

The Rays went up 3-1 in the sixth on RBI singles by Desmond Jennings and Scott.

Ryan Roberts gave the Rays a 1-0 advantage on his homer in the second.

Cobb retired his first 10 batters, including four on strikeouts, before Shane Victorino doubled down the right field line with one out in the fourth. Victorino scored to tie it at 1 on Ortiz’s two-out single.

Victorino left after the eighth with lower back tightness.

Notes — Boston closer Andrew Bailey (right biceps strain) had a 15-pitch simulated game. The right-hander will make a minor league rehab appearance Saturday for Triple-A Pawtucket and could be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Monday. … Red Sox RHP Joel Hanrahan, who had been the closer, had right elbow ligament replacement surgery and had his right flexor tendon repaired by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. …. Rays manager Joe Maddon said a decision has yet to be made on who will make Price’s next scheduled start Monday in Toronto. Among the options are right-hander’s Jake Odorizzi and Chris Archer, as well as Torres, who made his major league debut in 2011, when he appeared in four games — all in relief. … Farrell said the team has not

• Who: Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins.
• Where: Target Field.
• When: 8:10 p.m. tonight.
• Starting pitchers: Boston (Clay Buchholz 6-0) vs. Minnesota (Vance Worley 1-4).
• TV: NESN.