Yandy Diaz hit a two-run home run in a five-run sixth inning as the host Tampa Bay Rays held on in a white-knuckle ninth to avoid a series sweep with a 6-5 win over the Athletics on Wednesday.
Edwin Uceta survived the ninth inning for his first save. The right-hander came on after Max Muncy homered to leadoff and Austin Wynns doubled and gave up four hits as the A’s scored three times and cut a 6-2 deficit to 6-5 with one out and the bases loaded.
The Rays got out of it when Uceta struck out Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz to end the game.
Ryan Pepiot (6-6) picked up the win for the Rays. The right-hander went six innings, allowing four hits and two runs, while walking three and striking out nine on 100 pitches.
The Rays took control of the game in the sixth. Josh Lowe led off with a home run to tie the score 2-2.
Brandon Lowe extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a double to reach in front of Diaz, who put the Rays up for good with his blast to left. Diaz has reached base in 26 straight games.
Junior Caminero kept the inning going with a one-out double and two-out singles by Chandler Spencer and Matt Thaiss gave the Rays a four-run lead.
Mitch Spence (2-4) took the loss for the A’s. The right-hander went five-plus innings, allowing seven hits, four runs and striking out five on 77 pitches.
The A’s used a pair of two-out solo home runs to jump out to a 2-0 lead after two innings.
Rooker started the scoring by driving a slider into the left-field stands for his 18th home run in the first.
Max Schuemann doubled the lead in the second when hit a blast over the left-field wall.
Jake Mangum cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second with a standup inside-the-park home run.
With two outs, Mangum hit a long flyball to center. Rookie Denzel Clarke, who has made numerous highlight-reel catches in his short time in the majors, jumped too high for Mangum’s drive.
The ball hit the fence and rolled back toward the infield. By the time A’s left fielder Colby Thomas was able to retrieve it, Mangum was around third and scored easily.
Rays plate five in sixth, survive rocky ninth to defeat A’s, 6-5
