Games 95 and 96: Red Sox look to stay hot in doubleheader against first-place Rays

Let’s play two!

The Red Sox return to action from the All-Star break with a doubleheader against the first-place Rays at Fenway Park. It’s part of a four-game series in three days, with Friday’s twin bill necessitated by a rainout on May 9.

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You may have heard the Sox were on a bit of a roll heading into the break. Boston has won 14 of 16, including nine in a row on the road, to crawl back into postseason contention.

The Rays went 13-5 entering the break, splitting a four-game set against the Yankees before taking two of three from the Mariners. They have the best record in the AL by three games.

It will be a matchup of lefthanders in the matinee, with the Sox calling on rookie Jake Bennett. The Rays will counter with Griffin Jax. First pitch is 1:35 p.m. with the second game scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m.

The Sox added lefthander Alec Gamboa as the club’s 27^th man for today’s doubleheader. Per Major League Baseball rules, both teams are permitted to add an extra player for today’s games.

Gamboa, 29, has made four appearances for the Sox this season, his Major League debut, striking out four and allowing two runs in five innings. He has also pitched in 15 games (six starts) for Triple-A Worcester, recording a 3.63 ERA with 43 strikeouts.

Neither team has announced a starter for Game 2.

Here is a preview.

RAYS (56-38): Díaz DH, Aranda 1B, Caminero 3B, Vilade RF, DeLuca CF, Simpson LF, Williamson 2B, Walls SS, Fortes C

Pitching: RHP Griffin Jax (5-6, 3.47 ERA)

RED SOX (46-48): Seigler 2B, Rafaela CF, Abreu RF, Durbin 3B, Yoshida DH, Gonzalez 1B, Duran LF, Narváez C, Cheng SS.

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Pitching: LHP Jake Bennett (4-3, 2.64 ERA)

Time: 1:35 p.m.

TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

Rays vs. Bennett: Jonathan Aranda 1-6, Junior Caminero 2-5, Jonny DeLuca 0-1, Yandy Díaz 2-5, Nick Fortes 3-4, Cedric Mullins 1-3, Ryan Vilade 1-5, Taylor Walls 1-2, Ben Williamson 1-4

Red Sox vs. Jax: Wilyer Abreu 3-7, Willson Contreras 2-4, Jarren Duran 1-6, Caleb Durbin 1-1, Romy González 0-3, Andruw Monasterio 0-1, Carlos Narváez 0-1, Ceddanne Rafaela 1-2, Connor Wong 0-4, Masataka Yoshida 0-1

RAYS (56-39): Díaz DH, Aranda 1B, Caminero 3B, Vilade RF, Mullins CF, DeLuca LF, Williamson 2B, Feduccia C, Walls SS

Pitching: RHP Mason Englert (0-2, 3.82 ERA)

RED SOX (47-48): Seigler 2B, Rafaela CF, Abreu RF, Contreras 1B, Yoshida DH, Durbin 3B, Duran LF, Wong C, Cheng SS.

Pitching: LHP Eduardo Rivera (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Stat of the day: The Red Sox have allowed 3.8 runs per game, their second-lowest mark through 94 games since the end of World War 2.

Notes: Bennett has won three straight starts, going at least seven innings in consecutive victories over the Angels and White Sox. … He held Chicago to four hits in seven shutout innings on July 8, but has lost two starts against the Rays, going 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA in 10⅓ innings. … Willson Contreras will miss the opener as he finishes serving his five-game suspension for his actions in a bench-clearing brawl against the Nationals on June 30. He will be eligible to play in the nightcap. … Jax has won four of his last five starts, with the loss coming July 6 against the Yankees in which he struck out 10 over five innings. … He is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 15 career appearances. Only two have been starts, including a four-inning no-decision (two earned runs on four hits) on May 7 at Fenway Park.

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