Jake Bennett allows 1 hit in 6 innings as Red Sox extend win streak to 10 with 10-0 win over Rays

BOSTON (AP) — Rookie Jake Bennett tossed six innings of one-hit ball, and Masataka Yoshida and Carlos Narvaez each homered as the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 10-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in the first game of a doubleheader.

Narvaez and Jarren Duran each drove in three runs for Boston, which had entered the All-Star break with nine straight wins, all on the road. With their first 10-game win streak since last July, the Red Sox (47-48) moved within one game of .500 for the first time since their third game of this season.

Boston has allowed 14 runs during the streak, its fewest over a 10-game span during the live ball era (since 1920).

Yoshida, Navarez and Caleb Durbin each had three hits. The Red Sox outhit the AL East-leading Rays 15-3.

Bennett (5-3) struck out three as he won his fourth straight start. After issuing his only walk with one out in the first, the left-hander retired nine straight before Junior Caminero singled in the fourth.

Alex Gamboa worked the final three innings for his first save.

With the Red Sox leading 2-0, Yoshida hit the first pitch of the fourth by Griffin Jax (5-7) to right field, wrapping it around Pesky's Pole for his fourth homer of the season. Navarez cleared the Green Monster in the seventh for his third homer.

Duran chased Jax with a two-run single as part of Boston's six-run sixth inning. Jax allowed seven runs on eight hits in five-plus innings as his ERA jumped from 3.47 to 4.08.

All-Star Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras served the fifth and final game of his suspension for his actions during a benches-clearing incident against Washington last month. The suspension was reduced from seven games on appeal.

Rays RHP Mason Englert (0-2, 3.82 ERA) and Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rivera (0-0, 0.00) were set to pitch Friday's nightcap.

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Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida celebrates in the dugout his home run during the fourth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox's Caleb Durbin reacts in the dugout after scroing a run during the sixth inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng signs autographs for fans before the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida reacts after hitting a double during the second inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Jake Bennett throws during the first inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates will play a doubleheader on Saturday after the opening game of the weekend series between the teams was postponed on Friday night because of poor air quality caused by wildfires.

The teams and umpire crew met at 4:30 p.m. EDT, when the air quality index was at 203, which is deemed to be very unhealthy and hazardous.

The first game of Saturday's split doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. EDT.

The second game is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. EDT, but rain is forecast for most of the evening.

Pittsburgh's Jared Jones (1-1) against Cleveland's Gavin Williams (10-4) — who were Friday's scheduled starters — will take the mound for Saturday's first game.

The Guardians will call up Logan Allen (0-0) to pitch Saturday's nightcap. It will be his second appearance of the season at the big league level. The Pirates are still determining their starter.

The first series after the All-Star break is critical for both teams. Cleveland (51-46) came into Friday tied with the Chicago White Sox atop the AL Central while Pittsburgh (50-47) was two games behind Miami for the final NL wild-card spot.

“To get 48 hours to really just be with your family, be with loved ones, do something other than go to the field, it is super powerful. So I hope our guys got a chance to turn off and also what it does is it gives people a small reset,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.

The Guardians got a boost before the postponement as injured third baseman José Ramírez did some fielding work.

Ramírez had surgery on June 16 to remove the hook of the broken hamate bone in his left hand. He suffered the injury during the fifth inning on June 13 against Detroit when he fouled out on a popup.

When Ramírez was injured, it was estimated he would miss 5-7 weeks.

“He’s been working hard. I think I read the other day his speed is up from where it was at the beginning of the year with his running and he’s been simulating innings. So we’re not 100% sure he’ll need to go out (on a rehab assignment), but again, he’s going to know what he needs when he feels like he’s ready to go play,” Vogt said.

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A view from the press box level at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, Friday, July 17, 2026, after the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Guardians was postponed due to air quality concerns because of wildfire smoke from Canada and northern Minnesota. (AP Photo/Joe Reedy)