Red Sox's Duran Homers, Eliminates Rays from Playoffs

Jarren Duran hit a pivotal two-run home run in the seventh inning to lead the Boston Red Sox to an 11-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, a win that eliminated the Rays from postseason contention and kept the Red Sox ahead in the American League Wild Card race. The game saw early scoring from the Rays with Yandy Díaz and Carson Williams contributing home runs, but the Red Sox fought back with key hits from Alex Bregman and Nate Eaton. Garrett Crochet delivered a strong pitching performance, striking out nine batters over six innings despite allowing multiple home runs, including those that gave the Rays early leads. The Red Sox extended their advantage with a seven-run eighth inning fueled by RBI singles and capitalizing on errors by Tampa Bay. Although Everson Pereira hit a grand slam for the Rays in the ninth inning, it was insufficient to overcome Boston's lead. Duran's home run was especially significant given his struggles against left-handed pitchers this season, marking a major turning point in the game and the Red Sox's playoff push.