David Ortiz bat flip at center of flap

The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have already both brawled and traded barbs this season, and after Sunday's game the two AL East rivals show no signs of calling a truce.

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz hit a three-run, third-inning home run Sunday and punctuated the blast with an impressive bat flip -- a move that didn't sit well with the man who allowed the blast, Rays pitcher Chris Archer.

"I don't know what makes him think that he can showboat the way he does, and then nobody retaliates," Archer said. "Nobody looks at him in a funny way or pitches him inside. I don't know why he feels like that, but, obviously, he feels the way [teammate] David [Price] said he does -- he feels like he's bigger than the game. He feels like the show is all about him."

When informed of Archer's critique, Ortiz, a 17-year veteran, called into question the young right-hander's credentials at this stage in his career.

"He's not the right guy to be saying that, I don't think," Ortiz said.

"He's got two days in the league."

Despite that, Ortiz said he does respect the second-year pitcher's talent.

"Maybe they get too sensitive about things, just leave it like that," the 38-year-old Ortiz said. "I think [Archer] is a good pitcher. I think he's got great stuff. He's a guy that I think he's going to be pretty good, but it's going to take some time to get to that level."

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon says he has an admiration for Ortiz as well, but the continuing issues between the two teams have given him pause.

"He played it up pretty good," Maddon said of Ortiz's homer. "The man has meant so much for the game and also back in his country [the Dominican Republic], but there's those moments that occur like that. I'm not saying that my respect diminished. It's just something that makes you think a little bit more."

Ortiz's home run ended up accounting for all of Boston's runs in an eventual 3-2 win over the Rays that ended both the Red Sox's five-game losing streak and Tampa Bay's nine-game winning streak.

The two teams, which are separated by three games in the division, next face each other when the Rays host a four-game set at the end of August.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.