Thursday, 4 a.m.
This time, the Tampa Bay Rays had the power.
The Rays, among the worst teams in major league baseball as far as giving up home runs, a day of their own on Wednesday afternoon.
The Rays belted four home runs — including a three-run shot by Yandy Diaz in the eighth inning to put the game away — and won an 8-4 decision over the Houston Astros. The long ball helped the Rays overcome a 2-0 deficit to win.
Other Rays homers included back-to-back homers by Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe and the first home run by Curtis Mead.
The Rays’ did their damage against Hunter Brown, who had been in early discussions in the Cy Young race. He came in 6-2 with a 1.43 ERA.
The Astros took an early 2-0 lead after Isaac Parades hit the first of his two home runs on the day.
The Rays tied the game in the bottom of the first on singles by Jonathan Aranda and Chandler Simpson.
In the fourth, Mead hit his first home run. In the fifth, Lowe and Lowe knocked back-to-back pitches over the right field fence.
The Astros came back to within a run on homers by Mauricio Dubon and Paredes. But Diaz hit a long home run to center for three runs to slam the door.
Diaz, Josh Lowe and Mead all had two hits for the Rays.
Starting pitcher Taj Bradley gave up runs to the first two batters he faced, but he ended up going six innings and allowing just four hits and no more earned runs.
The Rays are off today. Tampa Bay is home against Toronto Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Steinbrenner Field. Drew Rasmussen will start for the Rays. The Jays have not announced their starter.