BOSTON — Mookie Betts homered to lead off the sixth inning – the first hit off Rays starter Drew Smyly – and added another in the eighth to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 2-0 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

On the night the Red Sox honored their 1975 AL championship team, Betts hit two solo shots over the Green Monster, which Carlton Fisk cleared in Game 6 of the ’75 World Series. It was Betts’ first career multi-homer game.

The Red Sox had lost four straight and nine of their last 12 to fall into last place in the AL East.

Rick Porcello (3-2), who was the starter in Boston’s last win, pitched seven innings of shutout ball. He scattered eight hits while walking none and striking out six. Koji Uehara pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Smyly (0-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth, and left trailing 1-0 despite allowing just two hits in all.

After Betts homered, Smyly gave up a one-out double to David Ortiz, then retired Mike Napoli and Pablo Sandoval to end the inning.

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In all, the Rays’ left-hander allowed two hits and two walks and struck out six in six innings. Betts homered off Ernesto Frieri to lead off the eighth and make it 2-0.

David DeJesus and Steven Souza Jr. each had a pair of hits for the Rays. Evan Longoria singled for the 1,000th hit of his career.

Tampa Bay center fielder Kevin Kiermaier robbed Ortiz of an extra-base hit when he caught his fly ball in the Fenway Park triangle against the bullpen wall, a few steps from the 420-foot marker.

Betts has seven extra-base hits and eight RBIs in the eight-game homestand.


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