ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dustin Pedroia, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Hanley Ramirez all homered, Drew Pomeranz won his third consecutive start, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Friday night.
Pedroia hit a two-run shot during a four-run third inning, and Bradley Jr. had a fourth-inning solo drive off Jake Odorizzi (5-4) as Boston took a 5-0 lead.
Ramirez scored his 1,000th run on his ninth-inning solo homer.
Pomeranz (9-4) limited Tampa Bay to two runs over six innings despite allowing six hits and five walks.
Steven Souza Jr. hit a solo homer in the seventh for the Rays, who beat Chris Sale and the AL East-leading Red Sox 4-1 in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night. The Rays, third in the division, trail Boston by 51/2 games.
Odorizzi gave up seven runs and eight hits in 41/3 innings. He has allowed a homer in 13 consecutive appearances, which ties Jesse Chavez of the Los Angeles Angels for the longest streak in the majors this season.
Wilson Ramos got his 10th RBI over his last six games on a double and Brad Miller added a run-scoring single in the fourth as the Rays got within 5-2.
Miller, reinstated from the 10-day disabled list after missing 27 games because of a right hip injury, had two hits and two walks.
The Rays had runners on second and third with one out in the second but ran themselves out of the inning after Mallex Smith bunted. Ramos was thrown out retreating to third base before Miller was tagged out during a rundown between second and third.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but failed to score when third baseman Deven Marrero made a nice back-hand grab of Ramos’ hard one-hopper to start a double play.
Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, hit on the right hand by a pitch on Thursday, didn’t play but might return this weekend.
The Rays said that their first-round draft pick, Brendan McKay, will be a starting pitcher, designated hitter and first baseman for Class A Hudson Valley. “The other day we sat down and mapped out a schedule,” McKay said. “Their willingness to do it shows a lot.”
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