Tampa Bay’s Nick Fortes hit a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth inning, and the visiting Rays held on for a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Bryan Baker (4-4) picked up the win in relief, and Pete Fairbanks collected his 26th save with a scoreless ninth despite the tying run getting to third with no outs.
Brad Keller (4-2) was tagged with loss when he gave up the home run to Fortes in the ninth.
The Rays improved to 73-75, while the Cubs fell to 84-64.
Cubs starter Colin Rea went 5 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and three runs. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out five.
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen went five innings, giving up four hits and three runs while walking three and striking out five.
The Cubs started the scoring in unique fashion when rookie Moises Ballesteros hit his first major league home run in the second inning.
The Cubs celebrated Anthony Rizzo with a retirement ceremony before the game, and the former Chicago first baseman was visiting with fans in the left field bleachers when Ballesteros’ home run came to him, bouncing off his hand to the fan behind him.
Chicago extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth with two outs. Nico Hoerner singled and stole second. The Rays chose to internationally walk Ballesteros. Dansby Swanson then lined a double into the left field corner to score Hoerner and Ballesteros.
Tampa Bay cut the lead to two in the fifth when Bob Seymour tripled off the center field wall, and Richie Palacios drove in with a ground out to second.
The Rays tied the score in the sixth. Yanny Diaz led off with a single and Brandon Lowe doubled him in, and Rea was lifted after getting Junior Caminero to ground out, but pinch hitter Jake Mangum singled with two outs to send home Lowe.
Michael Busch homered in the seventh to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead, but Junior Caminero answered with a homer for the Rays in the eighth to tie it at 4.
–Field Level Media
