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Mike Napoli belts homer to lift Boston Red Sox past Tampa Bay Rays

By Mike Shalin, The Sports Xchange
Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli (12). UPI/Mark Goldman
Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli (12). UPI/Mark Goldman | License Photo

BOSTON -- With trade speculation swirling around him, Mike Napoli insists he wasn't fretting over Friday's non-waiver deadline.

Then, hours after the deadline and not getting traded, Napoli hit a two-out, two-run homer to put his team ahead to stay in the seventh inning of a 7-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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"To be honest, I didn't really worry about it," the veteran first baseman said after launching a towering shot off left-hander Jake McGee that landed in the first row of the Monster Seats in left field.

"It's something I can't control. I just came to the park every day, got my work in, stuck to my plan and tried to do anything I can to help our team win."

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He said he didn't want to be traded -- and even though the Red Sox are in last place in the AL East and miles away from even a wild-card spot -- added, "We're not giving up yet."

The homer, his 13th of the season that started slowly, continued a run that has seen Napoli hit .326 with three homers and nine RBIs in his last 14 games. He said the only thing the deadline meant to him was that he no longer had to talk about the speculation -- but there is the chance he could move in a later waiver deal.

His manager, John Farrell, thinks the passing of the deadline had to be a relief.

"I think for Nap it probably peaked personally for him today," Farrell said. "There might have been some building anticipation throughout the week thinking if there was a team, maybe it was Pittsburgh, that might have had some speculation needing a right-handed bat.

"I'm sure once the deadline closed it's a chance to let some of those thoughts that could potentially be a distraction -- I won't say they were -- but potential distractions are eliminated."

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"I want to be a Red Sock," Napoli said.

Napoli followed an 11-pitch walk to DH David Ortiz by tomahawking a 2-2 pitch from McGee (0-1) -- after the Rays had taken the lead with two runs in the top of the inning.

The homer made a winner of reliever Junichi Tazawa (2-3), who gave up a two-run double to pinch hitter John Jaso that gave Tampa Bay a 5-4 lead.

Tazawa pitched out of an eighth-inning jam and the Red Sox scored an insurance run in their half on a double by catcher Blake Swihart, a groundout and a wild pitch by right-hander Brandon Gomes.

Koji Uehara worked the ninth for his 23rd save -- his 13th straight -- as the Red Sox (46-58) won their second straight. He ended the game with a 12-pitch strikeout of catcher Rene Rivera.

"I liked the way the guys battled back," said Tampa manager Kevin Cash. "We had some good at-bats, some big hits. In the inning with Jake McGee, give some credit to the at-bat by David Ortiz -- we've seen him do that over and over throughout his career, and then Mike Napoli gets up on fastball that's neck high."

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Said McGee: "It was where I wanted it. I got it up and away. I like to go up and away a lot and high, and he got the bat to it and kind of almost hit a fly ball to left field and it hit the ledge on the wall, so can't do much about it."

Swihart had a two-run single in a three-run first and left fielder Alejandro De Aza stroked a pair of RBI singles off Tampa starter Erasmo Ramirez.

Third baseman Evan Longoria had three hits and left fielder Mikie Mahtook, recalled earlier in the day and sent back after the game, added two hits and an RBI for the Rays (51-53).

Rookie left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez worked the first five innings for the Red Sox in a sloppy game that saw the teams combine for five errors and several other shaky plays.

"We're not good enough, and I don't know of any teams that are, to give up extra outs and that's what we did tonight," said Cash, whose starter was the victim of three unearned runs in the first inning.

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The Rays (51-53) officially committed three errors, two by second baseman Tim Beckham but there were other mistakes.

NOTES: Red Sox LF Hanley Ramirez (shin) and 3B Pablo Sandoval (wrist) were out of the lineup with injuries sustained Thursday night. ... The Rays beat the trade deadline by sending RHP Kevin Jepsen to the Minnesota Twins for minor league RHPs Alexis Tapia and Chih-Wei Hu. They also designated C Bobby Wilson for assignment. He was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers. Tampa Bay recalled RHP Kirby Yates and OF Mikie Mahtook from the minors. ... Boston acquired RHP Ryan Cook, 0-2 with a 10.38 ERA in four major league appearances this year but an All-Star in 2012, from the Oakland A's for a player to be named or cash considerations. ... Tampa Bay LHP Matt Moore makes his sixth start since returning from Tommy John surgery when he faces Boston's struggling RHP Joe Kelly on Saturday.

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