The Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3, on Thursday night to split their two-game series. Mike Aviles was ejected for the first time in his career after arguing a called third strike in the seventh inning. He finished 1-for-4 at the plate with a run scored in the first. Felix Doubront started 5 2/3 innings, giving up six hits but just one earned run with seven strikeouts.
The Red Sox tagged Rays' starter Matt Moore with three runs in his six innings on the mound. Moore gave up just five hits and struck out eight, but he also allowed solo home runs to Marlon Byrd and Cody Ross in the second and third innings, respectively. Ross finished with four RBIs on the night, batting in Aviles in the first, and Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz on a single in the eighth.
Tampa Bay's first two runs came on a Jeff Keppinger single to left in the third inning and a Rich Thompson single to center in the fourth. The third came on a B.J. Upton single in the eight inning off Alfredo Aceves, but Vicente Padilla got tagged with the earned run after allowing Thompson and Matt Joyce on base before being relieved with two outs.
The Red Sox begin a three-game road series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night at 7:05 p.m ET.
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