Ortiz sets mark for most RBIs in final season

Boston’s winning streak is its longest since 2009.

Ortiz got the Red Sox on the board early in the first inning off Chris Archer and it would end up being all the Sox needed to win the game. Ziegler gave up a lead off double to Longoria to give the Rays life, however he then retired the next 3 batters in order to get the ninth Sox win in a row. He had lasted at least seven innings in 11 straight starts, a streak that ended Saturday when he left in the seventh.

Ortiz, who said in November this will be his final season, has hit 300 of his 540 home runs on the road. Kimbrel had held opponents hitless (0-for-20) in eight appearances. Acquired on July 14 from San Diego, the left-hander had allowed nine runs over his previous two starts, lasting a combined 5⅔ innings.

Coming off four-game sweeps of the New York Yankees and Baltimore, the Red Sox began the night with a six-game lead over second-place Toronto in the AL East.

Boston maintained a 5 1/2-game lead over Toronto for the division title and ensured no worse than the AL’s second wild card. Cardinals gaffes included Kolten Wong face-planting into the turf chasing Rizzos first-inning double and Matt Adams getting picked off first.

It was Mancini’s third homer this week after his recent call-up.

Chicago scored four runs in the first inning off Mike Leake (9-11). “It’s about scoring runs and make sure we put us in position to win the game”.

NY was shut out for the second straight night and lost for the ninth time in 12 games, following a seven-game winning streak.

“They’re definitely the team to beat right now, in my eyes”, Danny Farquhar said after allowing Pedroia’s home run.

As a unit in September, the Sox pen has allowed just five runs in 58⅓ innings (0.78 ERA), stranding 23 of 24 inherited runners.

The Rays did manager to get the potential game-tying run to the plate in the seventh inning. The California native faced Boston twice last month and recorded a quality start in a no-decision on August 24, before giving up seven runs over four innings in a loss five days later.

Ziegler walked Corey Dickerson intentionally with two outs to get to rookie Juniel Querecuto, who made his major league debut Thursday and struck out to end the game. He has hit 36 homers this season while knocking in plenty of runners and hitting for a very high average.

Votto also drew three walks.