ST. PETERSBURG -- Prior to Tuesday night's 4-2 Rays loss to the Red Sox, manager Kevin Cash told reporters that the Yankees and Red Sox "should be" a measuring stick for how the Rays stand.
Cash then added: "They're ahead of us in the division. We have to play better."
On Tuesday night, the Rays played a close one, but once again they didn't quite measure up to their American League East rivals. The loss gave Boston an 8-3 advantage over Tampa Bay this season. Meanwhile, the Rays were unable to reach the .500 mark, dropping to 22-24 on the season.
Mookie Betts hit a three-run homer off Jake Faria in the third to stake the Red Sox to a 3-0 lead.

Willy Adames, who was making his Major League debut, answered for the Rays with a solo shot in the fourth and Daniel Robertson had a sacrifice fly in the fifth to cut the lead to 3-2. But Rafael Devers hit a solo home run off Austin Pruitt in the sixth to give the Red Sox a two-run cushion they would maintain.

Chris Sale claimed the win to move to 5-1 on the season. Faria, who had to leave the game in the third inning with a left oblique strain, took the loss to fall to 3-3.
The Rays loaded the bases in the ninth vs. Boston closer Craig Kimbrel, but Mallex Smith grounded into a forceout to end the rally.

"It turned out to be a better game than we were looking at when Jake came out of the ballgame," Cash said. "Obviously, we did some frustrating things out on the field. I think overall you have to be fairly impressed with the guys. Put the pressure on Kimbrel, but even Chris Sale."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Making his Major League debut, Adames stepped to the plate with one out in the fourth. The high-regarded shortstop, who is ranked the club's No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, struck out in his first at-bat, then watched a changeup for ball one before sending an 89.6-mph changeup from Sale into the left-field stands for his first Major League hit, and home run.
SOUND SMART
At 22 years, 262 days, Adames became the youngest positional player to make his Major League debut for the Rays since outfielder William Myers on June 18, 2013, in Boston and the youngest infielder since Reid Brignac on July 4, 2008, against Kansas City. Adames is the third-youngest active player in the AL behind Gleyber Torres (21 years, 160 days) and Devers (21 years, 210 days).
HE SAID IT
"I told him, I said, 'I have to be there before 6:30, so please hurry up.' And he was [going] fast. … He didn't know anything about baseball. I was explaining everything, about the bases and everything." -- Adames, on his cab ride from the airport
UP NEXT
Chris Archer will start Wednesday night when the Rays host the Red Sox in a 7:10 p.m. ET contest at Tropicana Field. He did not allow a run in 6 2/3 innings in his last start, Thursday against the Angels. Archer is 2-12 with a 5.49 ERA in 20 starts against the Red Sox. David Price will start for the Red Sox.