ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Wander Franco extended his on-base streak to 30 games with a two-run single, fellow rookie Luis Patiño pitched neatly into the sixth inning and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays won their eighth in a row, beating the Boston Red Sox 6-1 Monday night.
Brandon Lowe hit his career-high 31st homer on the first pitch from Boston starter Nick Pivetta, sending the Rays on their way.
Boston, which led the Rays by 1 1/2 games entering a three-game series at Tampa Bay on July 30, dropped nine game back in the division race.
Bobby Dalbec hit his 18th homer for the Red Sox, who hold a two-game lead over Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot.
The 21-year-old Patiño (4-3) gave up one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. T
The Rays went up 3-1 in the fourth. Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-out double, went to third when Mike Zunino reached on a wild pitch while striking out and scored on Lowe’s high hopper over Dalbec for a single.
Pivetta (9-7) allowed six hits, five walks and four earned runs with six strikeouts in five innings.
BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 3
TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two homers and raised his season total to 38, Robbie Ray pitched seven innings for his first win in six starts, and Toronto won its third straight with a victory over Baltimore.
Guerrero hit a solo home run off right-hander Chris Ellis in the fourth inning and a three-run blast off righty Marcos Diplán in the seventh.
Bo Bichette hit a game-tying single off Dillon Tate (0-4) in the sixth, and Teoscar Hernández followed with a two-run double.
Ray (10-5) allowed two runs and four hits and struck out 10.
Toronto’s George Springer went 1 for 2 with a walk, scored twice, was hit by a pitch and stole a base in a busy return to the lineup after missing 13 games because of a sprained left knee.
Ryan Mountcastle homered and had two RBIs for the Orioles. The loss dropped Baltimore to 3-24 in August.
CARDINALS 3, REDS 1
CINCINNATI — Jon Lester allowed one hit while pitching into the seventh inning, Paul Goldschmidt homered and St. Louis inched closer to slumping Cincinnati in the NL wild-card race.
The Cardinals closed within 2 1/2 games of Cincinnati for the second wild-card spot. San Diego is between them.
The Reds have scored one run in each of their last three games, all losses.
Lester (5-6) retired 16 consecutive batters after giving up his only hit, Kyle Farmer’s second-inning leadoff home run. He walked two and struck out five in 6 1/3 innings, earning his fourth straight win. Giovanny Gallegos pitched the ninth for his third save.
The Cardinals needed just two batters to grab a 2-0 lead. Luis Castillo (7-14) walked Tommy Edman to lead off the game. Goldschmidt followed with an opposite-field homer to right, his 22nd of the season.
TWINS 3, TIGERS 2
DETROIT — Bailey Ober pitched six solid innings and Josh Donaldson’s two-run homer helped Minnesota beat Detroit.
The Twins have won three of four. Detroit has lost four of five, scoring only nine runs.
Ober (2-2) held the slumping Tigers’ offense to two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out five without walking a batter. Alex Colome earned his 10th save.
Tigers starter Casey Mize (7-7) gave up three runs on five hits — including Donaldson’s homer, his 21st of the season — in six innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Derek Hill hit a solo homer for the Tigers.
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