April 11 (UPI) -- A 404-foot Brandon Lowe homer proved to be just enough to beat Boston Red Sox and extended the Tampa Bay Rays' near-record winning streak. The Rays (10-0) are now three wins shy of MLB's record for wins to start a season.
Lowe hit the solo shot in the eighth inning of the 1-0 victory Monday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays totaled just five hits. Five Rays pitchers combined to allow just three hits by the Red Sox.
The Rays are the first team since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers to start a season 10-0. Those Brewers, and the 1982 Atlanta Braves, own the record for the best record (13-0) to start a season.
"Every single time we play Boston they always play us really tough," Lowe told Bally Sports. "We always have really good games against them. We knew this one was going to be a little bit of a battle. It's great to come out on top.
"Let's keep it rolling."
The Rays will host the Red Sox in three more games this week at Tropicana Field. They could tie the Brewers and Braves for the MLB record in the series finale Thursday at Tropicana Field. The Rays could break the record against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday in Toronto.
The Red Sox totaled one hit through the first four innings of Monday's game. Left fielder Masataka Yoshida hit that leadoff single off Rays starter Jalen Beeks in the top of the second. Beeks issued two strikeouts and did not allow a walk. He left the game in the third inning.
Rays relief pitcher Josh Fleming allowed just one hit and issued five strikeouts, with no walks, over the next four innings. Garrett Cleavinger replaced Fleming in the seventh. He retired the Red Sox in order that inning.
Colin Poche and Pete Fairbanks pitched the final two innings for the Rays. Fairbanks retired the Red Sox in order in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.
The Rays threatened with base runners in scoring position in the first, second and third innings, but didn't push a run across until Lowe's long ball.
Red Sox relief pitcher Chris Martin retired infielder Yandy Diaz to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Lowe then stepped into the box to face the right-handed relief pitcher.
Lowe fell behind 0-2 in the count to start the 10-pitch at-bat. He drew the count even before Martin fired a four-seam fastball just above the middle of the strike zone.
Lowe smashed the offering over the right field wall. The solo shot hovered just 66 feet above the field and went 108 mph off Lowe's bat, according to Statcast.
Martin retired Rays sluggers Randy Arozarena and Wander Franco to end the inning. Fairbanks went on to strike out Red Sox designated hitter Justin Turner to lead off the ninth. He forced groundouts from Yoshida and pinch hitter Raimel Tapia to end the game and earn his first save.
The Rays lead MLB with 25 home runs, 76 runs scored, 75 RBIs, a .366 on-base percentage, .564 on-base percentage and a .930 on-base plus slugging percentage. They also struck out a league-low 65 times through 10 games.
The Rays pitching staff owns an MLB-best 1.70 ERA and allowed a league-low 59 hits, 18 runs, four home runs and an .184 average to start the season.
They will host the Red Sox at 6:40 p.m. EDT Tuesday in St. Petersburg.
