ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Griffin Jax gave the Rays a clean first look at a division they can clinch this week.
He worked five shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks with five strikeouts, in Tampa Bay's 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, ESPN's box shows. Jax improved to 8-10 and handed a 5-0 lead to a bullpen that kept Boston off the board until Trevor Story's ninth-inning homer, the Associated Press reported.
The biggest escape came in the fifth. Jax loaded the bases and struck out Roman Anthony to end the inning, per the AP. ESPN's box matches the 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K line; those are the figures that matter from the start.
Early runs, then the shutdown
Tampa Bay scored four times in the first off Patrick Sandoval. Jonny DeLuca doubled in two with the bases loaded, and Chandler Simpson followed with a two-run single after Sandoval had walked Yandy Diaz and Ryan Vilade and allowed a Junior Caminero single. Victor Mesa Jr. later walked and homered in the fourth for the fifth run.
Jax never needed to chase the scoreboard after that; he simply kept Boston's lineup from answering.
Cole Sulser, Brody Hopkins and Steven Matz each threw a scoreless inning behind him before Ty Johnson allowed Story's solo shot and Kevin Kelly recorded the final out. The Rays (95-60) will have a chance to clinch their fifth franchise AL East title during Tuesday's doubleheader at the Yankees, the AP noted. Nick Martinez and Drew Rasmussen are lined up for that twin bill.
Sandoval recovered after the first inning and retired 21 of his next 23 batters through the seventh, the AP reported, but the early damage and Jax's zeros left Boston playing from behind the rest of the afternoon.
