Chandler Simpson slashed a tiebreaking, two-out single to cap a four-run, seventh-inning rally, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays to a wild 7-6 victory and a series win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Down 6-3 after San Diego’s three-run top half of the seventh, Yandy Diaz lasered a bases-loaded single off the center field wall.
San Diego second baseman Luis Rengifo then threw home, but his right leg buckled as he turned. The toss went wide and to the backstop for an error to tie it at 6. Rengifo then had to be carted off the field with the injury.
After that delay, Simpson slashed a two-out single for a 7-6 lead off reliever Adrian Morejon.
Tampa Bay‘s Jonathan Aranda hit a tape-measure home run, and Junior Caminero ripped his 36th to tie Houston’s Yordan Alvarez for the American League lead. Liam Hicks and Taylor Walls had two hits.
Starting pitching Nick Martinez allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings with four strikeouts and no walks
Reliever Kevin Kelly (6-3) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, while Bryan Baker recorded his 39th save.
San Diego’s Dustin Harris had three hits, two runs and a stolen base. Ty France had two hits, including a two-run homer. Manny Machado had two hits and two RBIs.
Bradgley Rodriguez (3-3) allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk without retiring a batter.
Starter Walker Buehler tossed five-plus innings and yielded three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.
With one out in the third in a 1-1 game, the home side took its second lead when Aranda hit a 453-foot solo shot to center. His 17th homer came off Buehler’s change-up and landed in the netting above the blue batter’s eye.
In the sixth, France put the visitors ahead for the first time by angling Martinez’s 93 mph fastball over the 322-foot mark down the right field line, his 100th career home run, for a 3-2 lead.
However, Caminero reached down in the zone and lined a 3-2 cutter – with a 17-degree launch angle — over the center field wall to match Alvarez’s total.
Fernando Tatis Jr. put down a perfect bunt in the seventh to fill the bases with no outs. With one out, Machado grounded a single to right to score Rengifo and Harris. A double steal by Tatis and Machado put the Padres up 6-3 as they sent nine batters to the plate.
