Red Sox edge Rays to finish .500, take third place in AL East

Quinn Priester limited the visiting Tampa Bay Rays to one run on four hits in five innings Sunday to help the Boston Red Sox avoid a three-game sweep with a 3-1 victory in the final game of the season for each team.

Priester, who was called up from Triple-A Worcester on Sunday, was making his debut with Boston after being acquired from Pittsburgh at this year's trade deadline. He struck out two and walked one. Priester (3-6) went 2-6 with a 5.04 ERA in 10 games with the Pirates earlier this year.

Justin Slaten allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth to collect his second save.

The victory ended Boston's three-game losing streak. The Red Sox (81-81) finished third in the American League East.

The Rays (80-82) posted their first losing season since 2017. Tampa Bay, which beat Boston 2-1 Friday and 7-2 Saturday, finished fourth in the AL East.

Tampa Bay starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (8-8) was pulled after four innings. He allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits, struck out five and walked two.

Ceddanne Rafaela had two hits for the Red Sox, and Vaughn Grissom scored two of Boston's three runs.

Dylan Carlson collected three of Tampa Bay's eight hits. The Rays received two hits from Christopher Morel.

Boston scored twice in the third inning to take the lead. Jarren Duran handed the Red Sox a 1-0 lead when he scored on shortstop Jose Caballero's throwing error, and Grissom scored the game's second run on Triston Casas' groundout.

Tampa Bay made it a 2-1 game in the fourth, when Josh Lowe scored on a throwing error by shortstop Nick Sogard. The Red Sox extended their lead to 3-1 in the fifth on Caballero's second throwing error, which allowed Grissom to score.

Rays reliever Mason Montgomery was charged with Boston's third run.

--Field Level Media