Spring training games may not count, but it’s safe to assume the fans at Santo Domingo’s Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal on Saturday evening didn’t care.

The Red Sox shut out the Rays 4-0 to improve to 9-6-1 in preseason play. Along the way, they put on an enjoyable show for a eager crowd that included Rafael Devers’ and Brayan Bello’s families, proud and eager to see their loved ones play ball in their homeland.

Devers was hoping to put on a big show, but showed off his improving plate discipline, instead, drawing a walk and scoring a run. After striking out in his first at-bat, he told Alex Cora he’d been nervous.

Bello didn’t pitch, but he had a big day in a different way: the Sox held his contract extension press conference hours before the game, and he got to spend time with his mentor, Dominican and Boston legend Pedro Martinez.

In the top of the sixth, Enmanuel Valdez, who grew up in the Dominican idolizing David Ortiz, had a moment he’ll never forget. He led off the frame with a 335-foot home run, just fair inside the right-field foul pole. With Vaughn Grissom sidelined with a groin strain, Valdez will be Boston’s starting second baseman to begin the regular season.

Other offensive highlights included Jarren Duran’s single to leadoff the game. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, he and Trevor Story (walk) scored on Ceddanne Rafaela’s double.

It was a dominant night for the pitching staff, too. The Rays didn’t draw a walk until the ninth inning, and Boston held them to four hits. Kutter Crawford continued his impressive spring with three innings of practically perfect ball. He gave up two hits, struck out two, and didn’t issue a walk. Josh Winckowski pitched three strong frames of his own (two hits, one strikeout). Isaiah Campbell and Brennan Bernardino pitched perfect fourth and eighth innings, respectively, and Luis Guerrero worked around a two-out walk to close out the win.

The Red Sox and Rays will play their second and final game in Santo Domingo on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.