by Steve Carney

After a pair of games with no offense, the Tampa Bay bats came alive for 13 runs and 15 hits to give Chris Archer his first Major League win, beating Boston 13-3.

Boston got to Archer early, as Pedro Ciriaco singled to start the game, stole second base, and scored on a soft single by Jacoby Ellsbury for a 1-0 lead.

Tampa Bay evened the contest in the second when Daisuke Matsuzaka loaded the bases with no one out, and walked Matt Joyce to force in a run.  However, the Rays couldn't break the tie, as Carlos Pena struck out and Jose Molina grounded into a double play to keep it 1-1.

The Red Sox added a pair in the top of the third, as Jose Iglesias walked to start the frame.  Ciriaco singled him up a base, and Ellsbury brought in the Boston shortstop with a single of his own, moving Ciriaco to third.  Dustin Pedroia grounded into a fielder's choice to bring in Ciriaco to make it 3-1.

Archer settled down after that, gritting through five innings to earn his first big-league win.

The Rays got a run back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Ben Zobrist, and took the lead for good an inning later thanks to a solo homer by Jeff Keppinger and a two-run blast by Pena.

Tampa Bay poured it on in the sixth, sending 12 players up to bat and scoring seven runs, keyed by Jennings' two-run triple.

An RBI single in the eighth by Joyce scored Luke Scott to set the score.

Tampa Bay can salvage a split of the four-game with a win in Thursday's finale, as David Price takes on Clay Buchholz.  Coverage on 620 WDAE starts at 7:00.