Strong Nick Martinez start, clutch relief work lead Rays to 4-3 win vs. Red Sox

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With the Rays trying to build on Monday's win and get back to their recently successful ways, Nick Martinez tried to take matters into his own hands.

After seven masterful innings and holding a three-run lead, he faltered a bit in the eighth, allowing two singles and an RBI double that tucked just inside the first base line, ending his night.

But then Martinez got some help from his friends, and the Rays got their first back-to-back wins in 2 1/2 weeks, with a 4-3 victory over Boston.

Reliever Kevin Kelly took over in the eighth, getting three straight ground balls, and the infielders made all three plays behind him to quell the threat.

Bryan Baker pitched the ninth to earn his 18th save.

Martinez was effective and efficient from the start, setting down the first seven Red Sox hitters, allowing a double and a single in a three-batter span, then retiring 13 of the next 14 to get through the seventh.

He threw 11 or fewer pitches in six of seven complete innings, no more than 15 in any and a total of 73.

That was a big improvement from Martinez's last start, when he lasted only four innings against the Tigers on June 3, allowing six runs on nine hits, including two home runs.

Though Martinez allowed a run in the third, the Rays got that back and more in the fourth, doing most of their work with two outs,

Ryan Vilade, who quietly is playing a major offensive role, doubled with one out. Then with two down, the Rays got three consecutive run-scoring hits. Cedric Mullins singled in Vilade, Ben Williamson doubled in Mullins, and Nick Fortes, who had been in an extended skid, doubled in Mullins to make it 3-1.

The Rays added on in the sixth. Williamson reached on a two-out infield single, then went to second when Fortes was hit by a pitch. Richie Palacios took it from there, singling in Williamson.

The last complete game by a Rays pitcher was a little more than a year ago, when Zack Littell went the distance on May 31, 2025, in a 16-3 win over the Astros, throwing 117 pitches.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 9:36 PM.