Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox Match Player Stats On Aug 19, 2018

Joey Wendle and C.J. Cron hit home runs, and five Tampa Bay pitchers combined for a two-hitter as the visiting Rays blanked the Boston Red Sox 2-0 on Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park.

It was just the fifth time the Red Sox were shut out this season and the first time since being blanked 5-0 at Detroit on July 21. The loss snapped a 13-game win streak in day games for Boston and also was just the second loss in 12 games at Fenway Park for the Red Sox.

Rays rookie left-hander Jalen Beeks (2-1) took over with two outs in the second for fellow rookie reliever Diego Castillo, who was making his first career start. Beeks pitched four innings of one-hit shutout relief to pick up the win, walking two and striking out three. Castillo became Tampa Bay's 16th starting pitcher this season, extending the team's single-season record.

Chaz Roe got four outs, and Jose Alvarado struck out the side in the eighth inning. Sergio Romo struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect ninth to pick up his 16th save.

Hector Velazquez (7-1) took the starting spot originally scheduled for Cy Young Award candidate Chris Sale, who went on the 10-day disabled list Saturday due to mild left shoulder inflammation. The right-hander gave up one run on three hits with three walks while striking out two in four innings.

Velazquez, making his fifth start of the season, had won each of his past 10 decisions beginning on June 14, 2017, at Philadelphia, the longest active winning streak in the majors.

Wendle gave the Rays a 1-0 lead in the second inning when he led off with his seventh homer of the season, a liner that traveled an estimated 392 feet to the back of the bullpen in right-center.

Cron made it 2-0 with one out in the ninth when he smashed his 24th homer of the season off reliever Matt Barnes 409 feet over the Green Monster in left-center.

Xander Bogaerts had the only extra-base hit for Boston, a one-out double in the second inning. Bogaerts then advanced to third on a groundout by Eduardo Nunez, but Beeks came in and struck out Brock Holt to end the threat.

The Red Sox also got a runner to third in the fourth inning when Andrew Benintendi opened with a single, went to second on a walk to Steve Pearce and took third on a double-play grounder by J.D. Martinez. After Bogaerts walked, Beeks got Nunez to line out to left.

--Field Level Media