Sat May 3 01:50:14 2008

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Rain, Rays can't stop Red Sox

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Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Dustin Pedroia finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored as Boston used a big fourth inning to top Tampa, 7-3, in the opener of a three-game weekend set at Fenway Park.

Brandon Moss was 2-for-4 with a home run for the Red Sox, who didn't let a two-hour, 27-minute rain delay at the start of the contest dampen the first win over their division rivals this season. The Rays recorded a three-game sweep over the Sox last weekend in Tampa.

Jason Varitek also collected two hits and an RBI, while David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury also knocked in a run each.

Clay Buchholz (2-2) scattered five hits and one run over 5 1/3 innings, fanning six and walking four.

Carl Crawford had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Rays, who had won eight of nine coming in. Akinori Iwamura also knocked in a run while Jason Bartlett added two hits and scored twice.

Tampa starter Edwin Jackson (2-3), who held the Sox in check in a 2-1 win against Buchholz last Saturday, was shelled in the loss for nine hits and six runs over four-plus innings.

The Sox posted five runs in the fourth -- all with two outs -- to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

Moss began the charge with a solo homer, then Varitek singled and Julio Lugo walked. Ellsbury followed with a single to score Varitek, and Pedroia's single brought home two more. On the errant throw home, Pedroia moved up to second, then scored as Ortiz laced a single against the shift in right.

"He was going along well and there were two outs," said Rays manager Joe Maddon of the fateful frame. "Moss hits a homer and that's okay. The big play probably of the whole game was the walk to Lugo. It was a 1-2 count that went from 1-2 to a walk and then Ellsbury and then Pedroia and then Ortiz followed up."

Buchholz uncorked a wild pitch to score Bartlett for Tampa's first run in the fifth, then Javier Lopez allowed two more in the seventh on an Iwamura sacrifice fly and a Crawford groundout.

In the eighth, an RBI double by Varitek pushed the Sox lead to 7-3, but Boston left the bases loaded when Manny Ramirez struck out swinging.

Jonathan Papelbon got a rare non-save opportunity and closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

The defense helped Buchholz in the second inning. Evan Longoria and Eric Hinske led off the frame with back-to-back walks. After recording two outs, Bartlett singled to right, but Moss uncorked a perfect throw from right field to nail Longoria at the plate to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.

Boston got to Jackson in the third, as Lugo doubled with one out and scored two batters later on a two-bagger from Pedroia.

"Petey (Pedroia) had a big two-out hit," said Sox skipper Terry Francona. "That certainly changed that fourth inning. Sometimes that's what it is. I don't think it was a different attitude. We just had some success in an inning and it carried over enough for us to win the game."

Game Notes

It was Boston's first win over Tampa since last September 22, and its first home-win over the Rays since last September 12...Prior to the game, Tampa moved pitcher Justin Hammel from the starting rotation to the bullpen in anticipation of activating staff ace Scott Kazmir off the disabled list for his start Sunday. The club placed pitcher Gary Glover on the 15-day DL and called up outfielder Justin Ruggiano from Triple-A Durham...Lugo ended 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored...Sox starter Curt Schilling, who hasn't pitched since shoulder surgery in the off-season, will be tested for the strength of his right shoulder over the weekend and could begin throwing a baseball next week.