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Sox Dominate Rays' Lineup in Return Home

July 4

The Sox are 8-2 in their last ten in Boston with nine home runs and have averaged 5.6 runs a game in that span. This is the first time Boston and Tampa have met since late April, as well as the first time at Fenway since last year’s ALDS. For the next two weeks, the schedule will alternate between the Rays and the Yankees until the All-Star Break. Thanks to the Toronto loss yesterday, the Sox wake up in second place in the AL East. In the matinee on the Fourth of July, the Sox return home and put former Ray Austin Davis on the mound against Beeks. Davis is an understudy for Michael Wacha, who was supposed to start today but instead was placed on the injured list right before the game. Meanwhile, Beeks started his career here in Boston. The Sox put two on with one out in the bottom of the second. A single to left by Arroyo loads the bases with two out, but Dalbec strikes out to end the inning. The scoring begins in the bottom of the fourth, when Story hits a two-out homer to right-center to make it 1-0 Sox. It is his thirteenth of the year.

On a bloop single in the top of the fifth, Díaz inexplicably tries to go to second and is easily tagged out in a rundown to end the inning. Arroyo leads off the bottom of the inning with a double to left and moves to third on a groundout before scoring with two out when Devers reaches on a fielding error to make it 2-0. Amazingly, Devers is awarded a hit, baffling fans and commentators alike. The Sox pitchers shut down the Tampa lineup, allowing two hits in the first six innings. The Sox start the bottom of the eighth by loading the bases, all on singles. Devers scores on a fielding error to make it 3-0, and now the Rays go back to the bullpen. A Cordero single to right with one out scores Martinez and makes it 4-0, and then a double play ends the inning. The Sox allow just two hits all day in their 4-0 Independence Day win.