Rays Complete First Four Game Sweep Over the Sox

BOSTON (AP) – B.J. Upton capped a five-run third inning with a

three-run homer, and the Tampa Bay Rays completed a four-game sweep

of the Boston Red Sox with an 8-2 win victory Monday in the annual

Patriots Day game.

Jeff Niemann (1-0) pitched seven sharp innings to help Tampa Bay

win its seventh straight, all on the road, and match the club's

best winning streak away from Tropicana Field in one season. The

Rays last won seven in a row in June 2004.

It was also Tampa Bay's first sweep of a series three games or

more in Fenway Park.

The Red Sox (4-9) are off to their worst start since opening

1996 at 2-11. Boston was 0 for 30 with runners in scoring position

in the series, with Jeremy Hermida's two-run homer the only run in

the series finale.