ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays got strong pitching from Jake Odorizzi in their first walk-off victory this year, beating the Boston Red Sox 2-1 in the ninth inning on an RBI single by catcher Rene Rivera at Tropicana Field.
Rookie first baseman Allan Dykstra led off the ninth with a single and rookie Tim Beckman entered as a pinch runner. Center fielder Kevin Kiermaier singled with one out and Rivera, batting .122 entering the game, ripped a single down the left-field line to drive in Dykstra for his second career walk-off hit.
The two starting pitchers — Tampa Bay’s Jake Odorizzi and Boston’s Clay Buchholz — each lasted six innings and gave up one run, with the bullpen carrying the 1-1 score into the ninth.
Odorizzi gave up three hits in 6 2/3 innings, with the last hit a two-out single by left fielder Allen Craig in the seventh. Odorizzi left after a walk to shortstop Xander Bogaerts, but reliever Brandon Gomes got pinch-hitter Hanley Ramirez on a strikeout looking to end the inning and preserve the tie.
Buchholz struck out 10 batters in his six innings, holding the Rays to one run on two hits before leaving after 104 pitches.
Boston outfielder Mookie Betts hit a long shot to the center-field wall to open the eighth, but Kiermaier tracked it down.
Odorizzi and Buchholz each gave up a run in the second inning but were otherwise in complete control.
Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval ripped a double down the right-field line in the second, advancing on a groundout and scoring on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Daniel Nava for a 1-0 lead. Odorizzi did not allow another hit until the fifth when Bogaerts beat the defensive shift with an opposite-field single to right field.
The Rays tied the score in the bottom of the second. Third baseman Evan Longoria led off with a ground-rule double to left-center, advanced on a groundout and scored on an RBI single by second baseman Logan Forsythe.
Odorizzi came into the game with a 1.74 ERA and two wins in his first three starts. Buchholz hadn’t fared as well with a 6.06 ERA and one win.
Yankees 2, Tigers 1
DETROIT — Jacoby Ellsbury scored both of New York’s runs and Yankees pitchers limited Detroit to three hits.
The Yankees’ center fielder walked twice and had one of their three hits, an eighth-inning double that led to the go-ahead run. Reliever Dellin Betances (3-0) retired all four batters he faced to get the victory, New York’s third straight and sixth in its last seven games.
Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka held the Tigers to one run on three hits while striking out six in 6 1/3 innings. Andrew Miller pitched the ninth for New York (9-7) to collect his sixth save.
Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez gave up only one run on one hit and four walks while striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings.
Mets gain 11th straight victory
NEW YORK — Daniel Murphy had two hits and four RBIs on Thursday and Lucas Duda reached base in all four plate appearances as the scorching New York Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-3 at Citi Field for their record-tying 11th straight win.
The 11-game winning streak is the fifth in franchise history and the first for the Mets since June 17-29, 1990. The Mets, who won all 10 games of their first homestand of the season and have the best record in baseball at 13-3, will go for the record-setting 12th win Friday in the opener of a three-game series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Right-hander Bartolo Colon, who turns 42 next month, improved to 4-0 through four starts for the first time in his career, which began in 1997.
Colon allowed three runs, seven hits and no walks while striking out five. He recorded his final out in entertaining fashion by running down catcher A.J. Pierzynski for an unassisted pickoff to end the sixth inning.
