BOSTON — When Marcelo Mayer arrived at Fenway Park for Thursday’s game against the Rays, there was some question of if he’d still be with the Red Sox by the end of the day. Within hours, the rookie infielder would survive a roster crunch precipitated by Alex Bregman’s impending return and provide a key hit in a 4-3 comeback win that extended Boston’s winning streak to seven games.

Mayer, who started at third base, delivered one of two big swings for the Red Sox in a three-run seventh inning that turned a two-run deficit into a one-run lead. After Trevor Story and Romy Gonzalez led off with back-to-back walks against Rays newcomer Bryan Baker, Mayer worked a 2-1 count, then ripped a 108.7 mph opposite-field RBI double that made it a one-run game and put two men in scoring position for the red-hot Ceddanne Rafaela.

“Probably Marcelo’s best at-bat of the season, just taking pitches and shooting the ball the other way,” said manager Alex Cora. “In that one, he was patient enough and was able to get a pitch he was able to handle and hit it hard.”

Rafaela then gave the Sox a 4-3 lead, scoring Mayer and Gonzalez with an RBI single.

“Credit to those guys for putting up good at-bats and passing the baton,” Mayer said. “We put ourselves in a really good spot to score some runs there and we were able to come through.”

Mayer‘s introduction to hitting in the majors has not been a linear one. He had some big moments early (like a two-homer game on June 11) but had been puttering along since, hitting just .217 with four extra-base hits, 21 strikeouts and a .571 OPS in 21 games since.

Cora, who praised Mayer’s calm defense at third base before the game, said at the plate, Mayer has had a tendency to “rush into at-bats” and expand the zone. In a clutch spot Thursday, he didn’t.

“It was great,” said Mayer. “Any time you’re put in that situation as a player, you want to come through. I did a good job of not trying to do too much and putting the ball in play.

“As far as coming through for the team in a big opportunity, I think it’s definitely up there (with his best at-bats).”

After debuting on May 24, Mayer started eight games in a row before Cora, prioritizing platoon matchups and the offense of Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez, started sitting him against left-handed pitchers. In total, Mayer has gotten just four starts — and 24 plate appearances — against southpaws, going 4-for-24 (.167) with eight strikeouts. During a recent lefty-heavy run for the Red Sox, Mayer started just four times in 11 games.

After the win, Cora called second baseman David Hamilton into his office and informed him that he was heading down to Worcester after spending the entire season with the Red Sox to this point. Mayer’s roster spot, then, is safe, though sources confirmed that the Red Sox did internally discuss the possibility of sending him down in an effort to get him everyday at-bats.

Bregman’s return, however, will impact Mayer’s role. He has logged all but 26 innings at third base so far in the majors, but won’t get much run there now that Bregman is back. The expectation is that Mayer, who played 10 games (84 innings) at second base in Triple-A and has started there three times in the majors, will likely platoon there with Romy Gonzalez while mixing in behind Bregman at third base and Trevor Story at shortstop.

“I’m excited to have Alex back,” Mayer said. “Obviously, this team is in a really good spot right now and to bring back one of the best players in the league, it’s only gonna help us.”

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