St. Petersburg, FL - Tim Wakefield allowed one run over six innings and Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer as the Boston Red Sox downed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7-1, in the opener of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.
Wakefield (12-9) surrendered six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Coco Crisp drove in two runs and Manny Ramirez had two hits for the Red Sox, who have won seven of eight.
Tampa Bay starter Jason Hammel (1-1) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on just one hit and two walks while striking out four.
Akinori Iwamura and BJ Upton had two hits apiece and Dioner Navarro also had two hits with an RBI for the Devil Rays, who have lost seven in a row and 24 of 29.
Tampa Bay got on the board in the second. With two-outs, Ty Wigginton singled to left and Jonny Gomes walked before Navarro singled to right, scoring Wigginton. Iwamura walked, loading the bases for Carl Crawford. Wakefield, though, got Crawford to ground out, ending the frame.
With one out in the sixth, Alex Cora walked and stole second. Julio Lugo then walked, ending Hammel’s night. Juan Salas entered and was greeted by a Youkilis three-run homer to left, his 10th of the season.
Boston added four more runs in the eighth. After Devil Rays reliever Casey Fossum walked David Ortiz with one out, Shawn Camp entered the game in relief and allowed back-to-back singles to right by Ramirez and JD Drew, scoring a run. Mike Lowell then popped out before Crisp drove in two runs with a double to left and Doug Mirabelli singled to right scoring another to give Boston a commanding 7-1 lead.
Game Notes
Tampa Bay returned catcher Josh Paul from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the 60-day disabled list. The Devil Rays also designated catcher Raul Casanova for assignment…Wakefield won for the fifth time in six starts and improved to 17-2 against the Devil Rays, the most wins by a Tampa Bay opponent. He is 8-0 at Tropicana Field…Lugo had his career-high 15 game hitting streak snapped…Hammel retired the first 11 batters he faced…Attendance was 33,144
