BOSTON (AP) – Scott Kazmir’s strong start at Fenway Park held up this time.

Kazmir pitched six innings and the bullpen preserved the lead in the Tampa Bay Rays’ 7-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

Carlos Pena hit a two-run homer after striking out in his first five at-bats this season, Evan Longoria went deep and Grant Balfour got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning by striking out Jed Lowrie.

In his final game at Fenway last year, Kazmir was on track to be the winning pitcher in Game 5 that would have clinched the AL championship series. He left after six innings leading 5-0, but the Rays lost 8-7 after Balfour allowed four runs, Dan Wheeler gave up three and J.P. Howell allowed the winning run in the ninth.

Jon Lester, who lost Game 7 of the ALCS to Tampa Bay, allowed five runs in five innings Wednesday.

Tampa Bay bounced back after losing Tuesday’s opener 5-3 to Josh Beckett, who struck out 10 in seven sharp innings.

Lester’s 16-game regular-season unbeaten streak at home ended with his first loss since April 9 against Detroit. He also lost Game 3 of the ALCS at Fenway.

Kazmir allowed one run and five hits, leaving with a 5-1 lead. His first start last year also was at Fenway, but it came on May 4 after he recovered from a strained elbow.

Tampa Bay scored four runs in the third when the first four batters reached base.

Gabe Kapler walked and took third on Akinori Iwamura’s hit-and-run single that went through the shortstop hole vacated by Lowrie, who ran to cover second. Kapler scored on Jason Bartlett’s safety squeeze bunt down the first-base line just in front of home plate.

Carl Crawford singled, loading the bases, and Iwamura scored on Longoria’s double play. Pena then hit his first homer to straightaway center field.

Longoria added a solo shot in the eighth and Crawford singled in a run in the ninth.

Wheeler relieved Kazmir and pitched a perfect seventh, but Howell put the Red Sox in position to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. David Ortiz singled, took second on Kevin Youkilis’ single and scored on Jason Bay’s double. Howell then hit Mike Lowell with a pitch, bringing up Lowrie as the potential tying run.

Balfour came in and ended the threat on Lowrie’s swinging third strike and pitched the ninth for the save.

The Rays went ahead 1-0 in the third after Iwamura led off with a double. He stayed at second on Bartlett’s infield single to shortstop then scored when Youkilis made a diving stop of Crawford’s grounder but threw wildly to second.

The Red Sox tied it in the bottom half. Dustin Pedroia doubled and scored on Youkilis’ single to center.

Notes: Ortiz is 7-for-39 (.179) against Kazmir after going 0-for-2. … Lester allowed five runs or more in only five of his 33 regular-season starts last year. … Outfielders Kapler of Tampa Bay and Rocco Baldelli of Boston made their first starts of the season, both against their former teams. … Through 11/2 innings, only three of the 13 batters put the ball in play. Seven struck out and three walked.

AP-ES-04-08-09 2241EDT


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