Red Sox hold off late Rays rally for wild 9-8 win at Fenway Park

BOSTON (AP/CBS) — Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer, and the Boston Red Sox stopped Tampa Bay's six-game win streak with a 9-8 victory over the Rays on Friday night.

Kevin Plawecki had three hits and two RBIs for the Red Sox, who had dropped four in a row. Michael Wacha (9-1) struck out six in six innings, settling down after a shaky start.

Tampa Bay (69-56) began the day on top of the AL wild-card standings. Yandy Díaz, Jose Siri and Ji-Man Choi homered, but the Rays blew an early 4-1 lead.

Boston (61-65) went ahead to stay with two in the fourth and fifth, and three more runs in the sixth.

Franchy Cordero connected for his seventh homer in the fourth, and Jarren Duran added a sacrifice fly against Ryan Yarbrough (1-8). Kiké Hernández singled home Bogaerts in the fifth, and Plawecki doubled in Bobby Dalbec.

Bogaerts — who came in batting .219 in August — then had the big blow in the sixth, making it 8-4 with a drive to left for his 11th homer.

Ryan Brasier nearly gave that lead away out of the Boston bullpen, tagged for four runs in the top of the eight without recording an out. A three-run homer by Jose Siri made it a 9-8 game, before Matt Barnes retired three straight Rays.

Garrett Whitlock closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his sixth save of the season.