Can someone stop them? Tampa Bay Rays are just TWO games away from matching the MLB’s longest season-opening winning streak, as they rack up 11 straight wins vs. Boston Red Sox
- The Tampa Bay Rays are absolutely flying and recorded their 11th consecutive win
- Brandon Lowe hit another home run as they defeated the Boston Red Sox 7-2 on Tuesday
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
The Tampa Bay Rays are just two games away from tying the longest winning streak in MLB history after winning their 11th straight game Tuesday night.
The Rays used another homer from Brandon Lowe and a strong outing from Shane McClanahan to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-2.
Yandy Diaz and Lowe hit back-to-back solo shots with two outs in the fifth inning. Lowe extended his homer streak to four straight games.
Isaac Paredes and Josh Lowe also connected for the Rays, and McClanahan (3-0) struck out nine while pitching five-plus one-run innings.
The four home runs brought Tampa Bay’s total to 29, tying the St. Louis Cardinals’ major league record of 11 games set in 2000. It was the Rays’ third four-homer game of the young season.
Wander Franco (left) and Randy Arozarena of Tampa Bay Rays celebrate 11th straight win
The Rays used another homer from Brandon Lowe on Tuesday to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-2
Lowe (right) of Tampa Bay Rays celebrates with Franco after hitting a homer vs. the Red Sox
Tampa Bay’s win streak is one game short of the 2004 franchise record, and the Rays became one of only four teams since 1901 to win the first 11 games of a season.
“The history of it has not escaped us,” said Brandon Lowe.
“We understand what is happening, but we are not putting any extra pressure on anything. We are not staring at our schedule or at our record right now. … And it’s not one man doing it. It’s nice to know it’s one in nine, and if you don’t get the job done, the next one will.’
McClanahan gave up two hits, but walked four. The lefthander has struckout 21 batters in 17 innings so far this season.
Rafael Devers led off the Boston in sixth with a walk. He advanced to third base on Justin Turner’s single before McClanahan was replaced by Garrett Cleavinger.
Devers then scored when Masataka Yoshida bounced into a double play. It was the Rays’ first run since Friday, a franchise-record 32 scoreless innings.
“On the pitching side, they figured something out,” said Alex Verdugo, who scored one of Boston’s six hits. “A lot of their guys are a little bit different. They all have something that is just really good for them and makes them unique. But at the moment we just press on.’
Paredes’ third homer of the season made it 3-0 in the fourth. Josh Lowe led off the seventh inning with a drive to center right against Kaleb Ort for his second home run.
Boston Red Sox’s Alex Verdugo slides past Tampa Bay Rays catcher Francisco Mejia to score
Tampa Bay Rays midfielder Josh Lowe (15) celebrates with second baseman Vidal Brujan (7)
“We make in-game adjustments to pitchers. It’s not easy,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “What they learn in that first at bat, they apply in their second and third at bats. And as for the pitching, the overall execution was quite remarkable.”
Garrett Whitlock (0-1) gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings in his season debut for Boston.
Reese McGuire hit an RBI single in the ninth for the Red Sox.