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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays became the first major league team since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers to open the season with 10 straight wins, getting a solo homer from Brandon Lowe in the eighth inning to defeat the Boston Red Sox 1-0 on Monday night.

Lowe homered for the third straight game, sending a one-out pitch from Chris Martin (0-1) into the right-field stands. Lowe has nine RBIs over his past three games.

“Brandon had a really good at-bat,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Hung in there on some pitches, and then he got a fastball that he could get the barrel to. And we know that he can knock it out of the ballpark when he connects.”

The 1987 Brewers and the 1982 Atlanta Braves share the major league record for the best start to a season at 13-0.

“It’s great to come out on top,” Lowe said in his postgame, on-field interview. “Let’s keep it rolling.”

In a matchup of the American League’s top two scoring teams, pitching and defense prevailed. This was the Rays’ first win by fewer than four runs, and Tampa Bay fell one game short of the 1939 New York Yankees as the most recent team to win 10 consecutive games by four or more at any point in a season.

“This is the first night where it was kind of quiet offensively,” Cash said. “I kind of felt like, at any given moment, someone can knock one out of the ballpark.”

Tampa Bay opener Jalen Beeks allowed one hit over two innings, and Josh Fleming gave up one hit over the next four. After Garrett Cleavinger pitched a perfect seventh, Colin Poche (1-0) worked out of bases-loaded, two-out jam in the eighth by striking out Rafael Devers.

“I think overall it was a good baseball game,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They pitched well. We pitched well. It was good defense. Obviously, we didn’t win. But as for the game, it was great.”

Pete Fairbanks completed the three-hitter and recorded his first save. The Rays have now posted three consecutive shutouts, after registering consecutive 11-0 wins over the Oakland Athletics to close out a weekend series.

“It just shows how unbelievable our pitchers really are,” Lowe said. “That was a fun game. It’s nice to leave with a win.”

Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta gave up three hits in five scoreless innings. Josh Winckowski allowed one hit in two innings.

In the previous two wins over the A’s, the Rays allowed just four hits overall.

Boston recorded a three-game weekend sweep over the Detroit Tigers in which the Red Sox outscored their hosts 24-9.

“Definitely felt like a Rays-Red Sox game,” Cash said, later referring to Major League Baseball’s new schedule in which teams play division rivals less frequently. “Look, they’re a good team. I’m thrilled that we’re not playing them 19 times.”

Cora said “there’s a good chance” right-hander Garrett Whitlock (hip surgery) will make his season debut Tuesday night against Rays ace Shane McClanahan (2-0).

“They’ve got good stuff; give them credit,” Cora said of the Rays’ pitching staff. “We’ve just got to get better for tomorrow.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.

Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.

Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.

The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.

Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

Jake Allen, one of the top goaltenders available entering free agency, is not heading to the market after agreeing to a five-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Allen’s average annual value on the deal is $1.8 million, sources told ESPN. That AAV allows the Devils to run back the same goaltending tandem for next season.

Jacob Markstrom has one year remaining on his contract for $4.125 million. Nico Daws is also under contract for next season, before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

Several teams were interested in the 34-year-old veteran, whom sources said could have made more money on the open market. However, the deal with the Devils gives Allen long-term security. Allen has played for the Blues, Canadiens and Devils over his 12-year-career. He has started in 436 career games.

Last season, Allen started 29 games for the Devils, going 13-16-1 with a .906 save percentage, 2.66 GAA and four shutouts.

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, $42M extension

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, M extension

Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.

Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.

He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.

Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.

It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.

That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.

But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

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