ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Chris Sale allowed two hits in eight innings and struck out 13, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Tuesday for their seventh straight victory.
Sale (14-4) reached double digits in strikeouts for the 15th time this season, the first time that's been done since Randy Johnson in 2002.
The win pushed Boston's AL East lead over the New York Yankees to four games.
Dustin Pedroia, back in the Boston lineup as a DH after a stint on the disabled list with left knee inflammation, scored the first run on a fielder's choice in the fourth.