Zunino hits 3-run HR; Rays bash Sox to complete 4-game sweep

BOSTON (AP) — Hunter Renfroe hit two homers and drove in three runs, Mike Zunino belted a three-run shot over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park and the surging Tampa Bay Rays beat the struggling Boston Red Sox 17-8 on Thursday to complete a four-game series sweep.

It was the sixth straight win for the Rays (12-8), who posted their eighth consecutive victory in Fenway. Tampa Bay won for the 12th time in its last 14 games against Boston.

Brandon Lowe added a solo homer during a five-run third inning that chased starter Kyle Hart (0-1), who was making his major-league debut.

Manuel Margot had his second four-hit game of the series, Willy Adames had three hits and two RBIs, and Yoshi Tsutsugo had two hits and two RBIs for the Rays, who posted season-highs in runs and hits (19). Zunino drove in four runs.

“The whole series, the guys were tremendous,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “That’s not an easy thing to do, to sweep a team like the Red Sox.”

Kevin Plawecki had a two-run double and three RBIs for Boston, and Rafael Devers made three throwing errors after a first-inning RBI single. The Red Sox (6-13), who own the AL’s worst record, have lost four straight.

Even a “drone delay” in the third, didn’t stop the Rays’ offense. The game was delayed for about four minutes by a drone flying outside the park beyond the right-field bleachers.

“That’s a new situation,” Adames said. “I’ve never seen that before. You just don’t know what to do.”

With Tsutsugo at the plate, players on the field and the umpires pointed to where it was. The Rays’ two runners on base left the field and Boston’s fielders headed to their dugout area, too. The umpires walked off, waiting on the track near Boston’s dugout.

“I didn’t even know the rule,”...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Zunino-hits-3-run-HR-Rays-bash-Sox-to-complete-15482917.php