Rays nip reeling Red Sox with run in 9th

St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Cole Figueroa's double with one out in the bottom of the ninth was the lone run of the contest, lifting Tampa Bay to a 1-0 victory over Boston in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

Andrew Miller (1-3) walked Desmond Jennings with one away, then yielded to Burke Badenhop, who allowed Jennings to swipe second before coming home on pinch-hitter Figueroa's deep drive to center.

"I thought I executed the pitch to Figueroa there," said Badenhop. "(He) hits a grenade that blows up in center."

Juan Carlos Oviedo (1-0) tossed a scoreless top of the ninth for the Rays, winners of two straight after losing four in succession. Starter Chris Archer tied a career high with 11 strikeouts, but walked four and threw 119 pitches in six innings during which he served up four hits.

"We're just not relying on the normal guys to get this particular moment done," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "(Figueroa) that's a great moment for him and his family for doing that."

John Lackey pitched into the eighth, giving up five hits and one walk while fanning three for the Red Sox, who have dropped eight in a row.

The Rays couldn't dent Lackey with runners on the corners in the home first, then were silent against the Boston starter until putting men on first and third in the sixth and coming up empty after James Loney grounded out.

The Sox wasted two on in the top of the first, stranded Grady Sizemore in scoring position in the second, then left two on in the fifth.

Jennings reached on Boston third baseman Brock Holt's throwing error in the home seventh and was sacrificed to third, but Lackey left him there by inducing consecutive groundouts to end the frame.

David DeJesus' leadoff single in the eighth signaled Lackey's exit, but Junichi Tazawa and Miller combined to keep Tampa scoreless.

Game Notes

Rays third baseman Evan Longoria led all players with three hits ... Archer also struck out 11 batters in a no-decision against Texas on Sept. 8, 2012 in an eventual 4-2 loss to the Rangers ... Prior to the contest, the Red Sox announced that shortstop Stephen Drew was assigned to Single-A Greenville and pitcher Alex Wilson was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.