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Rays Beat Red Sox In 1st Game Of Doubleheader

Rays catcher Jose Molina moves to tag out Red Sox' Dustin Pedroia, trying to score on a double by DH David Ortiz Thursday afternoon. (Elise Amendola/AP)
Rays catcher Jose Molina moves to tag out Red Sox' Dustin Pedroia, trying to score on a double by DH David Ortiz Thursday afternoon. (Elise Amendola/AP)

David DeJesus had a solo homer and drew a bases-loaded walk, and Tampa Bay's bullpen pitched 4 1-3 scoreless innings to lift the Rays to a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

The win snapped Tampa Bay's three-game losing streak and was just its second victory in nine road games.

Jonny Gomes had an RBI single for the Red Sox, who had won three of their past four.

Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield was ejected by first base umpire Toby Basner for slamming his helmet to the ground in the seventh inning after a challenge on an out at the plate on what would have been the tying run.

Brandon Gomes (2-1), the first of four relievers, got four outs for the win. Grant Balfour recorded the final three for his fifth save, getting David Ortiz to ground out with a runner on second for the final out.

Boston's Jake Peavy (1-1) took the loss. He gave up two or fewer runs for the fifth time in six starts, holding the Rays to two and three hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Rays starter Cesar Ramos allowed just one run and one hit, but struggled with his control in 4 2-3 innings. He walked six and struck out six, throwing 95 pitches.

With the Rays leading 2-1 in the seventh, Dustin Pedroia was thrown out on a relay from shortstop Yunel Escobar, attempting to score from first on Ortiz's double high off the Green Monster.

After a 1 minute, 52 second delay, it was announced the call "stands."

Butterfield fired his helmet to the ground and was kicked out. Manager John Farrell came out, but didn't argue.

Pedroia may have beaten catcher Jose Molina's sweeping tag with a feet-first slide, but it was unclear if he touched the plate before the tag.

Basner, rotating as the umpires moved on the play, made the call at the plate.

Tampa Bay went ahead 2-1 on DeJesus' run-scoring walk in the fourth. After Desmond Jennings' leadoff double, Peavy retired the next two batters before walking three straight.

The Rays had tied it on DeJesus' homer in third.

Boston took advantage of Ramos' wildness and scored a run in the first. The left-hander, who replaced Matt Moore in the rotation when he was lost for the season after undergoing left elbow reconstructive surgery, walked three and gave up Gomes' RBI single.

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