TAMPA — They had dropped four of their last six, all at home, and watched any hope of the division title slip away. In addition, as the losses piled up, they seemed to have forfeited their best chance to host a wild card series.

Along the way, their most noteworthy win came against a team with a losing record, in extra innings, with the winning run scoring without benefit of a hit.

So that sound you might have heard Friday night was the Red Sox exhaling. Their 11-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays came with a large sigh of relief.

“It felt great,” confirmed Alex Bregman, who belted a solo homer in the early going. “Obviously, to be able to put up 11 runs and the quality of at-bats up and down the lineup....I thought the at-bat quality was great. Guys had a plan, were convicted and got afte

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