Junior Caminero hit a three-run homer, Cedric Mullins added a solo shot and Nick Martinez pitched into the sixth inning to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Martinez (7-2) allowed one run on six hits and struck out three over 5 2/3 innings, and Yandy Diaz went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI for the Rays.
Geraldo Perdomo homered, Corbin Carroll was 2-for-4 with a triple and Gabriel Moreno had two hits for Arizona.
Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead in the first when Diaz drew a walk, Jonathan Aranda was hit by a pitch and Caminero crushed a 437-foot, three-run homer to straightaway center, his 20th of the season.
Earlier, facing a full count with one out in the first, Perdomo hit a towering blast to right field. Carroll followed with a triple that ricocheted high off the right field wall, but he was stranded when Moreno and Nolan Arenado each popped out to end the inning.
Carroll led off the fourth with a single, and with the hit-and-run on, advanced to third when Moreno’s line drive glanced off the glove of a leaping Taylor Walls at shortstop and dropped into left field.
Martinez escaped the jam, however, by inducing a popout, lineout and fielder’s choice ground out.
With two outs in the sixth, Moreno singled and Arenado reached on a check-swing blooper to right. Cam Booser entered in relief of Martinez and induced pinch hitter Ildemaro Vargas to fly out.
In the seventh, the Rays opened up a 6-1 lead. Mullins led off with a solo shot, extending the Rays’ advantage to 4-1. After Victor Mesa Jr. lined out and Walls flied out, Hunter Feduccia doubled before Juan Burgos entered in relief of Arizona starter Zac Gallen (3-7).
Burgos was rudely greeted by Diaz’s RBI single and Aranda’s run-scoring double.
Gallen allowed five runs on four hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
