Player of the gameRanger SuarezBOS5.2ip 3h 1er 5bb 5k
ST. PETERSBURG – Roman Anthony tore into the third pitch of Friday night’s game at Tropicana Field, perhaps making a Statcast-projected 438-foot statement into a short porch in right-center field that his slump is over. For good measure, the 22-year-old stepped up an inning later and came up with his first career hit in 11 plate appearances with the bases loaded, bashing a two-run single to right. It was Anthony leading the offense as the Sox (84-70) pushed closer to punching their ticket to the postseason with a 4-2 victory over the Rays, who have an American League-best 93-60 record and came into this one with a six-game winning streak. Given the all but certain likelihood for the last few weeks that the Red Sox will be participants in the playoffs, the club is eager to officially punch that ticket, which could happen as early as Saturday depending on how other games around the league go. “I think everybody does, for sure,” said interim manager Chad Tracy. “We came out and looked really good offensively in the first part of that game, and there was a lot of energy in the dugout. And I think guys feel it. We're not done yet, but I definitely think they sniff it, and we're wanting to get there for sure.”
