PORT CHARLOTTE (620 WDAE) -- Ryan Yarbrough allowed just a single run in three innings of work, while C.J. Cron and Brandon Snyder each homered, though the Tampa Bay Rays dropped an 8-3 decision to the Boston Red Sox Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park.
Yarbrough allowed a run in the top of the first as Brock Holt led off the game with a double to left, taking third on a flyout by Jackie Bradley Jr., and scoring on a single by J.D. Martinez.
Boston busted the game open in the fourth off Daniel Hudson, with Blake Swihart beltimg a solo home run to make it 2-0, followed by RBI singles by Deven Marrero and Holt, and a two-run double by Martinez.
Cron's home run cut the lead back to 6-1 in the home half of the fourth.
The Red Sox added two more runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Jackie Bradley Jr. off Yonny Chirinos. Bradley scored later in the inning on a throwing error by catcher Wilson Ramos, one of three errors on the afternoon by the Rays.
Brandon Snyder's two-run blast in the eighth cut Boston's lead back to 8-3, but Tampa Bay could get no closer.
The Rays got perfect innings of relief from Jonny Venters and Jose Alvarado, with the latter striking out the side in the ninth.
Next matchup
Thursday: at Toronto Blue Jays, Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin, 1:05 pm.
Rays pitchers: RHP Jake Faria, RHP Andrew Kittredge, RHP Chaz Roe
Blue Jays pitchers: LHP Jaime Garcia, RHP Roberto Osuna, RHP Ryan Tepera, RHP Danny Barnes
Upcoming schedule
Friday (split squad): vs Toronto Blue Jays, Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, 1:05 pm; at Baltimore Orioles, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, 1:05 pm.
Saturday: at Pittsburgh Pirates, LECOM Park, Bradenton, 1:05 pm.
Sunday: vs New York Yankees, Charlotte Sports Park, Port Charlotte, 1:05 pm.