The Tampa Bay Rays are the hottest team in the majors and stand just two victories away from a perfect road trip at 9-0.
The Rays will look to increase their latest winning streak to eight games when they oppose the Athletics on Tuesday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
A late four-run deficit in Monday’s series opener wasn’t a hindrance for the Rays, as they scored eight runs in the eighth inning to rally for a 10-6 victory over the Athletics.
The uprising represented Tampa Bay’s largest-scoring inning of the campaign. It also moved the Rays within two games of their longest winning streak.
Meanwhile, the Athletics have dropped 30 of 37 games after letting the big lead slip away on Monday.
“That’s the tale of our year — our inability to hold a lead,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said.
Junior Caminero smacked a three-run blast to get the eighth inning going. Taylor Walls later drilled a tiebreaking, two-run single for Tampa Bay, which holds the second-best record in the majors behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
Walls is batting .412 (14-for-34) with the bases loaded in his career.
“I just try to get a good pitch and be aggressive and put something in play hard,” Walls said of his approach.
Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs and is 7-for-9 over the past two games.
Diaz led off Monday’s game with a 439-foot homer, marking his sixth leadoff blast of the season and the 27th of his career. He also moved into sixth place in Rays history with 115 career homers, passing Ben Zobrist (2006-14).
Tampa Bay has won five or more games six times this season and stands six games ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East.
Zack Gelof (knee) was in the Athletics’ lineup for the first time since July 9. He had two hits, including a booming 456-foot homer.
Gelof had a 24-game hitting streak earlier this season that ended when he was spiked on the right hand by Matt Chapman of the San Francisco Giants. He returned for just five appearances before suffering the knee injury.
“I felt pretty good; I’ve been able to keep up with the process,” Gelof said on Monday. “I try to be smart, bring energy, and not get frustrated by those (injuries).”
Rays right-hander Nick Martinez (11-3, 2.65 ERA) will attempt to reach a career best for victories when he takes the mound Tuesday. Martinez went 11-14 with the Cincinnati Reds last season and signed with the Rays as a free agent.
He’s exceeded expectations with an All-Star season.
“What that man means to this group, it’s second to none,” Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen told reporters. “I mean, there are no words I could ever use to describe it perfectly. We’re fortunate he’s here with us.”
Martinez said it is a two-way admiration society.
“These guys mean a lot to me,” he said. “That’s maybe the most important thing I look forward to: Just how the guys view me as a teammate and as a competitor.”
Martinez has won six of his past seven decisions, including a 4-0 victory over the host Colorado Rockies last Wednesday on his 36th birthday. He gave up six hits, walked none and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings.
Martinez is 3-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 12 appearances (eight starts) against the Athletics.
Right-hander Mason Barnett (1-2, 5.56 ERA) will start for the A’s on Tuesday.
Barnett, 25, will make his third straight start. He served up three homers in a 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday when he allowed five runs and five hits over 4 1/3 innings.
He has never faced the Rays.
–Field Level Media
