NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox scored four runs in the eighth inning to end a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 road win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.
The big inning snapped a 1-1 tie yet Boston still had to survive a two-run Seattle rally in the bottom of the ninth to win for the first time away from home after seven straight losses, their longest road losing streak in nearly seven years.
"It's satisfying to shake hands again," Boston manager Terry Francona told reporters. "We needed to get a win on the road and snap out of this, we really needed this."
Despite the win, the Red Sox remained a half game behind the surprising Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, as the Rays beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 for their fourth straight win to lead the majors with a 31-20 record.
Bartolo Colon, making just his second start with Boston, hooked up in a pitcher's duel with Felix Hernandez for seven innings, to leave the score tied at 1-1 heading to the top of the eighth.
Boston scored all four runs with two outs off Hernandez, then survived a nervous ninth when the Mariners scored twice but could get no closer.
Dustin Pedroia's ground-rule double sparked the eighth-inning burst after David Ortiz had blasted his 12th home run of the season to open the scoring for the defending World Series champions in the fourth.
Colon (2-0) allowed one run on five hits over seven innings for the win, striking out four and walking one. Jonathan Papelbon allowed the runs in the ninth but managed to get the final three outs.
Seattle has lost seven straight games and at 18-34, has the worst record in the major leagues.
"There is some encouragement but we are just looking for a win," Seattle manager John McLaren said.
"A moral victory is not what we're looking for."
Hernandez (2-5) was charged with five runs on seven hits over 7 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking five.
Ichiro Suzuki had two hits and drove in a run for the Mariners.
(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Detroit; Editing by John O'Brien)
