ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Díaz hit a leadoff homer and drove in two runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Monday night.

Jonathan Aranda knocked in the tiebreaking run with a fifth-inning single for the AL East leaders, who had lost five of six.

Díaz put Tampa Bay on the board with his fourth leadoff homer this season, hitting the first pitch from Boston starter Connelly Early into the left-field seats. Díaz then drove in Taylor Walls on a sacrifice fly in the eighth, when Tampa Bay manufactured an insurance run without a hit.

Aranda’s two-out single scored Austin Slater from third to break a 1-all tie in the fifth, chasing Early (5-4). Slater, making his Tampa Bay debut, reached on an infield single before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch.

Left-hander Ian Seymour, the Rays’ opener, retired his first five batters and didn’t allow a hit until the third, when Marcelo Mayer evened the score with a solo homer.

But after that, Seymour set down his final six batters. He pitched a season-high four innings, allowing one hit and a walk with five strikeouts. Tampa Bay’s bullpen shut out Boston over the final five innings, yielding just three hits. Casey Legumina (2-0) got the win and Bryan Baker earned his 17th save.

Aside from Mayer’s home run, only one Red Sox player reached third base. The Rays improved to 5-0 when using an opener, and 29-1 when leading after seven innings.

Tampa Bay catcher Nick Fortes successfully challenged two pitches to earn strikeouts for Rays relievers, including on Caleb Durbin in the seventh with the potential tying run in scoring position. Fortes also threw out Ceddanne Rafaela attempting to steal, ending the sixth.

Up next

Tampa Bay RHP Nick Martinez (5-2, 2.29 ERA) starts Tuesday opposite Boston LHP Payton Tolle (3-2, 2.28).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb