Two hours before first pitch of the Tampa Bay Rays’ June 8 series opener against the Boston Red Sox, the temperature outside Tropicana Field reached a scorching hot 95 degrees.
Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz started the game hotter, however, sending the first pitch beyond left field for his fourth leadoff homer of the season and a Rays 1-0 lead.
“You never know when [Diaz] is going to choose to swing at it or not, but it feels like when he does, he’s on time a lot,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
A 400-foot solo homer from Red Sox second baseman Marcelo Mayer tied the game in the third inning, but the Rays bullpen held Boston scoreless from there, winning 3-1 and remaining atop the American League East.
The next Ray to cross home plate was left fielder Austin Slater, who had his contract selected from the Rays Triple-A affiliate Durham Bulls earlier that day. Slater’s first hit as a Ray was a single to open the fifth’s bottom half. Slater made the most of it, stealing second and sneaking to third off an errant pitch. His base running positioned him for a trip home after a single from first basemen Jonathan Aranda.
The Rays did not score again until the top of the eighth, when a sacrifice fly from Diaz off Red Sox relief pitcher Danny Coulombe batted in shortstop Taylor Walls on the Rays’ final hit of the night. Diaz entered that at-bat with the league’s highest batting average against relief pitchers (.451).
Rays relief pitcher Bryan Baker cut the game a half-inning short, just allowing a single in the ninth to seal the 3-1 win.
The Rays will look to clinch the series on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. EST.