BOSTON _ Every game is about the now for the Rays, as they look to post wins and improve their positioning in the AL wild-card race while still having visions of making a run at the Yankees for the East championship.
So Thursday's 9-4 win over the Red Sox was obviously helpful in that pursuit.
Plus, they got their first look at their trade deadline acquisitions, with Jesus Aguilar getting on base four times (including two 106-mph wicked singles) and scoring twice, while Nick Anderson pitched an impressive scoreless eighth inning, hitting 99 mph several times, getting five swing-and-misses and striking out two.
But Thursday's victory also came with some historical implications.
For one, the Rays logged just the second sweep of a three-game (or more) series in 54 opportunities over 22 seasons at Fenway Park, which the Red Sox have anointed America's Most Beloved Ballpark. (They have made 64 visits overall.)
The only other came in the Rays' 2010 AL East championship season, when they actually took a four-games April set.
(It also was the first time the Red Sox were swept at home by any team in a three-or-more game series since Aug, 25-27, 2017, when the Orioles beat them.)
For another, the Rays won their eighth game this year at Fenway, the first visiting team to celebrate that many times in the cramped clubhouse in the same season in more than 50 years, since the Orioles in 1966, when they went on to win the World Series championship.
The Rays already won all three series in the same season at Fenway for just the second time in franchise history, also in 2011. That included both games in a rain-shortened series in April, three of four during a June visit that included a doubleheader to make up the earlier rain out and all three this trip.
Overall they lead the season series 9-6 (having gone 1-5 at home) with a four-game set to come at the Trop Sept. 20-23.
They Rays started the night at 62-48, 2 { games ahead of the Red Sox, and holding the second AL wild-card spot, the latest in a season they've been in a playoff spot since making the wild-card game in 2013
The Rays got off to a good start Thursday, scoring first, building a 4-2 lead in the second and expanding it to 7-3 by the sixth in what was another team effort win. Every player in the lineup but Kevin Kiermaier had a hit, and Austin Meadows and Mike Zunino had homers. Rookie Brendan McKay pitched into the sixth to earn his second win in five big-league starts.
Manager Kevin Cash was excited to have his two newest pieces, acquired at Wednesday's trade deadline, in uniform, Aguilar and Anderson.
"Look, we're doing things to make us better," he said before the game. "Yeah, it's exciting. It's an exciting time for us. We've played well to get in a spot to where the front office recognized (that) and comes up and makes some little moves that are going to make us better. Not it's our turn to kind of repay the favor and use these guys, put 'em in good positions to have success."
Aguilar started at DH against Boston righty Andrew Cashner on Thursday but will get most of his work against lefties and play a lot of first base. Anderson will join some of the other Rays relievers pitching in what Cash, who doesn't like to assign roles, called "some big situations."
Aguilar got off to a rough start with the Brewers after a 35-homer, 2018 All-Star season, but comes to the Rays coming off an encouraging July. Overall, he was hitting .225 with eight homers, 34 RBIs and a .694 OPS.
"I think it was a little bit of confidence," he said. "I started really slow, and kind of like desperation, I rushed a little bit. That was the difference (from 2018). But now I feel really good, I've been hitting the last month and I think I'm ready to go."
Anderson is in his first season in the majors as a 29-year-old and posting big numbers, specifically 69 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings, with a 2-4, 3.92 record and one save in 45 games, and equally effective against right- and left-handers.
"I couldn't have told you how it would play out; I don't think anyone really could," Anderson said. "But even going into the season I wasn't going like, "Oh, I've got to do good,' or "I'm going to tear it up.' I kind of think it was just coming in and try to baseball just like at every other level. Obviously, I was very happy the way the season started and even the way the whole season has gone. It's been fun."
Cash said he welcomed them both with a similar message.
"I think they're coming into a really positive clubhouse, a welcoming clubhouse. Enjoy themselves. We're looking forward to having them for a two-month period to get to help get us, be a part of what we're trying to accomplish."
The Rays headed home after the game with a rare scheduled Friday off-day before opening a two-game series against the Marlins on Saturday.
