ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Rick Porcello didn’t lose on Friday night, something he hasn’t been able to say after his previous six starts.
The Red Sox right-hander did not win, either, giving back a two-run lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly and wild pitch, and leaving with a no-decision. But for the first time in 42 days, Porcello did not have to suffer in silence after his start. That was the sweet sound of music blasting through the winner’s clubhouse at Tropicana Field after Brock Holt singled home Mookie Betts with the winning run in the 10th inning of a 4-3 Sox victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Betts doubled off Rays reliever Steve Geltz, the Rays’ fifth pitcher of the night, a soft line drive that fell just inside the left-field line. Holt then reached out and slapped a pitch that was off the plate and lined it to left-center, Betts scoring. Holt was erased in a rundown on the play.
The Rays had a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth when Asdrubal Cabrera doubled past a diving Pablo Sandoval at third to open the inning against reliever Craig Breslow. Jake Elmore was intentionally walked, but Curt Casali failed to get a bunt down and wound up striking out, which cost the Rays dearly, as Breslow retired Kevin Kiermaier on a tapper to second and Alexi Ogando retired Joey Butler on a fly ball to right.
Koji Uehara pitched a 1-2-3 10th, striking out two, for his 15th save, with the win going to Ogando (2-0).
The Sox trimmed a game off Tampa Bay’s lead in the AL East, pulling to within eight games.
Marc Krauss, a first baseman acquired by Tampa Bay from the Angels on Thursday and batting just .143, doubled home a run in the second. With the help of two double plays, Porcello kept the Rays in check until the sixth, which rookie Joey Butler opened with a single up the middle. Evan Longoria doubled over a leaping Jackie Bradley Jr. at the wall in right, David DeJesus’ liner to Bradley scored one run and Longoria came home with the tying run when Sox rookie catcher Blake Swihart could not keep Porcello’s curveball in the dirt in front of him.
The Sox scored twice in the second off rookie Alex Colome when Mike Napoli walked, and center fielder Kiermaier came up empty on an attempted diving catch of Alejandro De Aza’s liner, which rolled to the wall for an RBI double. Swihart’s ground ball to the right side advanced De Aza to third, and Bradley’s sacrifice fly brought him home.
Napoli led off the fourth with a walk, took third on Swihart’s one-out single, and scored on the front end of a double steal. Napoli was not credited with a stolen base, as Swihart was caught at second.
The Red Sox, who lost two of three at home to the Orioles before arriving at the Trop, are now 2-2 in a stretch of 10 games against AL East rivals. They are now 12-23 in intradivisional play.
No Ramirez: Manager John Farrell reported Hanley Ramirez (left wrist) had much less swelling Friday, but remains day-to-day.
Betts’ streak at 13: Betts’ double in the 10th extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
