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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- David Ortiz hit his 23rd homer and Pedro Ciriaco had three hits and drove in two runs Friday night, helping the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1.
Franklin Morales (2-2) allowed two hits over five scoreless innings to win for the second time since the left-hander was moved into the starting rotation last month. The left-hander walked three and struck out five before being replaced by Scott Atchison, who yielded an unearned run in the sixth.
Ortiz hit a solo homer off Jeremy Hellickson (4-6) in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to a season-best eight games.
Ciriaco has started four games since his promotion from the minor leagues last week and is 10 for 12 with six RBIs over the past three, including a two-run single that made it 3-0 in the second inning.
The fourth-place Red Sox lost six of seven games entering the All-Star break. But with the win before a crowd of 29,089 at Tropicana Field, they pulled within one game of the third-place Rays in the AL East standings.
Ortiz is hitting .440 (11 for 25) with 10 walks during his hitting streak. The Rays walked him intentionally twice, once to load the bases before Mauro Gomez grounded into an inning-ending double play in the seventh.
Sean Rodriguez drove in Tampa Bay’s run with a sixth-inning double off Atchison. The hit drove in Ben Zobrist, who reached on shortstop Mike Aviles’ two-base throwing
Hellickson, the 2011 AL rookie of the year, has dropped six consecutive decisions following a 4-0 start. The right-hander allowed three runs and five hits over six innings.
Alfredo Aceves pitched a perfect ninth for Boston, earning his 20th save in 24 opportunities. Jacoby Ellsbury, activated from the disabled list before the game, went 1 for 5 in his first action since hurting his right shoulder on April 13 while trying to break up a double play.
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who left Boston’s final game before the break because of illness, remained out of the lineup. His replacement, Gomez, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and was charged with a first-inning error when a throw from third baseman Will Middlebrooks appeared to tear through the webbing of Gomez’s glove.
Gomez changed gloves, and Morales escaped a jam with runners at first and third when Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton was caught trying to steal second.
The Red Sox starter also worked through tight spots in the fourth and fifth without allowing a run. He walked three straight batters to load the bases with two outs in the fourth, then struck out Luke Scott. Jose Lobaton doubled for Tampa Bay’s second hit with one out in the fifth but was stranded there when Morales fanned Elliot Johnson and Carlos Pena.
NOTES: The Rays batted .232 as a team before the All-Star break, lowest in team history. They are one of eight teams all-time that have hit as low as that while also reaching the break with a winning record. ... Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia (right thumb) is taking batting practice. ... Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz, Saturday’s scheduled start, will be making his first appearance since being sidelined by a stomach illness on June 20. ... Clemson 3B Richie Shaffer, the 25th pick of last month’s amateur draft, agreed to a contract with the Rays for a signing bonus of $1.71 million. ... Boston RHP Andrew Bailey (right thumb surgery) has started throwing off a mound. ... Boston manager Bobby Valentine said LF Carl Crawford (left wrist surgery, groin strain), currently playing at Triple-A Pawtucket, is getting closer to rejoining the team.
Yankees 6, Angels 5
NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira homered twice and drove in five runs, Russell Martin hit a go-ahead single and the New York Yankees overcame yet another homer by Mark Trumbo to rally past the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 Friday night.
Teixeira’s three-run shot and Martin’s two-out single in the eighth inning overcame the Angels’ 5-2 edge.
Trumbo homered in his fifth straight game against the Yankees. His three-run shot in the seventh made him the first Yankees opponent to homer five games in a row since Albert Belle in 1994, STATS LLC said.
Howie Kendrick was thrown out at second base to end the game. He tried to advance when a pitch from Rafael Soriano bounced away, but Martin made a strong peg for the final out.
The Yankees, with the best record in the majors, broke loose after C.J. Wilson was pulled following a sharp seven-inning start.
Scott Downs (1-1) relieved to begin the eighth with an 0.30 ERA this season. Derek Jeter led off with a double, Curtis Granderson walked and Teixeira hit the first homer off Downs this year.
Teixeira’s tying shot was his 17th home run -- he has 36 career multihomer games, three this season.
Downs retired the next two batters and left after walking Nick Swisher. Kevin Jepsen relieved and, after pinch-runner Dewayne Wise stole second and pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez was intentionally walked, Martin sliced a single to right. Martin ended an 0-for-30 slump last Saturday in his last game before the All-Star break.
Soriano wound up with his 21st save in 22 chances. Chad Qualls (1-0) got his first win with the Yankees.
Trumbo was picked by Yankees star Robinson Cano for the home run derby in Kansas City this week and finished among the leaders. The Angels slugger did equally fine on a humid evening in the Bronx, sending a shot into the left-center field bleachers against Hiroki Kuroda for a 4-2 lead.
Trumbo nearly hit another homer, but Swisher made a leaping catch at the top of the right-field wall in the eighth. Trumbo is 11 for 22 with five homers and 10 RBIs against New York this season.
Albert Pujols singled to start the Angels’ seventh-inning rally, then hit a ground-rule double in the eighth that made it 5-2. He stumbled coming around first base and hobbled into second, prompting Angels manager Mike Scioscia and a trainer to check on him. Pujols stayed in the game.
Angels rookie Mike Trout, leading the league in hitting and steals, doubled and singled, stole two bases and scored a run.
A prep star in New Jersey who worked out for scouts at the old and new Yankee Stadium, Trout’s favorite player growing up was Jeter. They ate lunch together at the All-Star game, and Jeter made Trout’s family and friends feel welcome in the 20-year-old’s first game at the ballpark -- the 20-plus members of the Trout rooting section sat in Jeter’s suite.
Erick Aybar also homered for the Angels.
NOTES: Jeter has scored 1,818 runs, two more than Carl Yastrzemski for 16th place on the career list. ... Cano extended his hitting streak to a season-high 16 games. ... Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (strained left groin) threw a simulated game. If he’s OK, he’ll start Tuesday night vs. Toronto. Asked his goal for the second half, the ace said: "Stay healthy." ... Yankees LHP Andy Pettitte (broken left leg) rejoined the team after recuperating at home in Texas. He’s targeting Sept. 1 to be back in the rotation. ... Yankees OF Brett Gardner (right elbow) is ready to swing in a simulated game Sunday. ... Angels RHP Dan Haren (stiff back) had a bullpen session Thursday and is set for another one Saturday.
