Thursday, 4 a.m.
When a team wins, it really doesn’t matter if it staggers across the finish line. It didn’t matter the level of the competition.
All that matters is the victory.
Right?
The Tampa Bay Rays barely held on to a victory over the second-worst in the league Athletics, winning 6-5 with the shakiest ninth inning you can imagine, Edwin Uceta struck out two batters with the bases loaded to allow the Rays to salvage one win in the three games.
Uceta took his first save of the season. He struggled, giving up an infield hit to bring the A’s within 6-5 with the bases loaded and one out, but struck out Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz to end the game.
The Rays had opened up a 6-2 lead with a five-run sixth. The team put together six hits, including a solo by homer by Josh Lowe, a two-run shot by Yandy Diaz and doubles by Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero. Chandler Simpson and Matt Thaiss each had RBI singles.
Earlier in the game, Jake Mangum had an inside-the-park homer. It was the 24th in franchise history.
Josh Lowe, Yandy Diaz and Thaiss all had two hits.
Ryan Pepiot gave up solo homers in the first and second inning, but nothing else in his six innings.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Rays were one game behind Yankees in the division race and tied with Toronto. The Jays and Yankees played Thursday night,
The Rays are off today, but travel to Minnesota to face the Twins on Friday. Zack Littell will start for the Rays against Bailey Ober.