Boston, MA  - Rookie Ryan Kalish belted his second grand slam and David Ortiz also went deep, as the Red Sox blasted Tampa Bay, 12-5, in the opener of a big three-game set at Fenway Park.

With this being the final series for Boston against the Rays, it's imperative that the Red Sox sweep to continue hopes for a postseason spot. Monday's win moved Boston within 6 1/2 games of the Rays for the wild card lead. Chicago is six back.

Jon Lester (16-8) struck out exactly 10 batters for a third straight game, all victories. The lefty limited the Rays to four hits and two runs over six innings.

Ortiz and Adrian Beltre hit back-to-back homers in the first inning for Boston, which was swept at home by the White Sox in a three-game series over the weekend. Victor Martinez added a two-run single in the second.

"I think after the first I got in a little bit better rhythm," Lester said. "Vick did a good job kind of controlling that. It makes pitching easier when guys go out and score runs like we did tonight."

The Rays lost their third in a row and remained 2 1/2 games behind the first- place New York Yankees in the AL East.

Jeff Niemann (10-6) was pounded for a third straight start. This time the right-hander surrendered four hits and six runs over 1 2/3 frames. He's given up 19 hits and 23 runs over his last three outings for an ERA of 20.70 in that span.

"Command was off, big time," Niemann said. "I went into a lot of bad counts and they were sitting on some pitches."

Andy Sonnanstine, called up from Single-A Hudson Valley earlier Monday, gave up five runs on five hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings for the Rays.

Carl Crawford singled in a run in the top of the first, but Martinez walked ahead of Ortiz's 28th homer of the season, a two-out shot just inside the pole in right field. Beltre then homered to left.

After Martinez singled in a pair the following inning, Ortiz doubled off Sonnanstine to drive in J.D. Drew for a 6-1 margin.

Sean Rodriguez singled in a run in the away third, but Kalish's slam to right capped a big five-run fourth. The other run came in when Sonnanstine walked Jed Lowrie with the bases loaded.

Tampa Bay scored three times in the seventh, all on bases-loaded walks, but Scott Atchison got out of the inning by retiring pinch-hitter Reid Brignac on a pop foul to first and then getting Rocco Baldelli to fly out to left.

Yamaico Navarro's sacrifice fly in the bottom half accounted for the final margin.

Landover, MD (Sports Network) - Kellen Moore's 13-yard touchdown pass to Austin Pettis with 1:09 remaining in the game provided third-ranked Boise State with a thrilling 33-30 win over No. 10 Virginia Tech in an action-packed season-opener for both schools.

It was an incredible night for Pettis. The senior wide receiver blocked a punt and caught a second touchdown pass for the Broncos (1-0), who last year became just the second team in NCAA history to record a 14-0 season, capping it with a 17-10 win over TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Playing out of the Western Athletic Conference for a last season, the Broncos have already started the debate if they can be BCS busters this year and reach the national title game. They accomplished the first step against what should be BSU's only ranked opponent this season.

"You should gain more respect beating a Virginia Tech team out here," Moore said. "You're basically playing a road game, you're having a heck of a game with them, just fighting back and forth. I think it's an exciting game for us."

Moore completed 23-of-38 passes for 215 yards, while D.J. Harper gained 80 yards on four carries, including a 71-yard TD run.

Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor ended 15-of-22 for 186 yards and two scores, but he was sacked three times. Jarrett Boykin had six catches for 102 yards and a TD, while Ryan Williams scored three times - two on rushes and one via reception. Taylor also rushed for 73 yards for the Hokies (0-1), who are coming off a 10-3 season last year when they downed Tennessee in the Chick- Fil-A Bowl.

After a Virginia Tech punt, Moore led the Broncos on a drive that was aided by a big late hit call. Pettis caught a 14-yard pass on the left sideline, but Bruce Taylor's hit out of bounds tacked on more yardage.

Two plays later, Pettis got free in the back of the end zone and caught a perfect strike from Moore.

"We got the ball in good field position and thought we'd do something with it," Boise State coach Chris Peterson said. "We've practiced that so often and I thought our coaching staff did a fabulous job. They were very calm and the kids executed the plays like clockwork. Practicing against our defense is extremely competitive and it felt a lot like that tonight."

Taylor couldn't drive the Hokies past midfield, and Boykin failed to hold onto a long fourth down pass that would've given Virginia Tech the ball deep in BSU territory. The Broncos ran out the remaining half-minute.