Gomes' homer ends Red Sox's sweep of Rays
BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox capped a doubleheader sweep in style Tuesday night.
A two-run home run from Jonny Gomes in the ninth inning off Tampa Bay Rays reliever Joel Peralta gave the Red Sox a 3-1 win in the nightcap. Boston won the opener 5-1.
It was Gomes' third career walk-off home run, and his first since April 8, 2010, against the St. Louis Cardinals while he was with the Cincinnati Reds. Gomes hit his third career go-ahead home run off Peralta, the most he has against any pitcher. It was his fifth homer of the season.
Neither starter was involved in the decision despite pitching well.
Boston left-hander Felix Doubront went eight scoreless innings, giving up three hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
"It was good," said Doubront. "I was feeling real good inning by inning, and that was real nice. I think that I needed to go deep in the game. Better results. I was working the five-day routine to see better results, and you see this game."
Despite Doubront's strong outing, manager John Farrell opted to go to closer Andrew Bailey in the ninth. Bailey gave up a game-tying home run to Kelly Johnson, the first batter he faced.
"I thought Felix pitched a heck of a game for us, obvious by the eight shutout innings," Farrell said. "It's the deepest he's gone this year, in the eight innings completed. Felt like he more than did his job tonight.
"One-run spread on the board, go to Bailey, things didn't work out. Another fastball up and away. ... Jonny Gomes bails us out."
Tampa Bay starter Jake Odorizzi went 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
"I thought he executed his pitches well," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It's just like when a young hitter might come up and get a couple hits, you don't get excited too soon. It has to happen over a period of time, and I was very pleased with what he did tonight."
Peralta (1-3) didn't retire either of the batters he faced, walking Daniel Nava ahead of Gomes' blast.
Boston's first run came on Nava's second-inning home run, his 10th of the season.
"It was location," Odorizzi said. "Trying to go back door with the slider, and I wanted it to end where I started it, unfortunately. So, I started it on the corner and it came right down the middle, and I was trying to start it off and let it come back to the corner. Just pulled it a little bit, ended up down the middle, and he got it out of the there. So, that's the one pitch I wish I could take back."
Tampa Bay offset Nava's home run with Johnson's 11th of the season.
Bailey, who was charged with his third blown save, wound up with the win, improving to 3-0.
"I'm throwing the ball down the middle," Bailey said. "I've just got to keep grinding through it, focus a little bit more, and, you know, I'll get through it. I've pitched in this league for a couple of years now and had success, so just got to get back to doing that."
Tuesday's first game was delayed by rain for nearly three hours in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Boston starter Alfredo Aceves (4-1) exited after the delay, but he lasted the minimum five innings to qualify for the win. He gave up one run, three hits and three walks while striking out two.
Chris Archer (1-3) took the loss in the opener. He went 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (three earned), five hits and five walks with five strikeouts.
David Ortiz went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for Boston in the day game, then went 2-for-4 again in the nightcap.
NOTES: Rays RF Wil Myers made his major league debut in the first game of the doubleheader. He flied out to shallow center field on the first pitch of his first at-bat. He got his first hit, a single to left in his first at-bat of the second game and finished the day 1-for-7. ... Rays manager Joe Maddon said he expects a long road back for RHP Alex Cobb, who was hit on the head by a line drive off the bat of Eric Hosmer on Saturday. Maddon said he is not sure whether Cobb will pitch again this season. ... 1B Mike Napoli returned to the Red Sox lineup for the first game of the doubleheader. Napoli had missed the previous three games after leaving Thursday in the third inning because of an illness. He was not in the starting lineup for the second game. ... Boston RHP Clay Buchholz, who has not pitched since June 8 because of soreness in his neck, was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 9. RHP Alex Wilson was called up to take Buchholz's roster spot. ... Red Sox C David Ross was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list. C Ryan Lavarnway was promoted from Triple-A Pawtucket.
