ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Red Sox began the second half by doing what they couldn't do for the final 10 days of the first half -- winning a series.
The Sox bashed 14 hits and beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 7-3, winning the weekend series with the Rays two games to one. The Sox had lost their last three series before the All-Star break.
Josh Beckett gave up three hits in the first inning, but then tossed five shutout innings, allowing just two hits after the second. Beckett picked up his fifth win of the season and first in almost two months, dating back to May 20.
Five Red Sox hitters enjoyed multi-hit games, with Jacoby Ellsbury and Will Middlebrooks both collecting two singles and a double. Mike Aviles and Daniel Nava added solo homers.
Three relievers pieced together the final three innings for the Sox, with Mark Melancon retiring all five batters he faced over an inning and two-thirds.
The Sox are 7-5 against Tampa this season, matching their victory total against the Rays from last season with six games still remaining.