OAKLAND, Calif. — The Tampa Bay Rays was the primary workforce to 50 wins, and for the Oakland Athletics splitting a four-game layout in opposition to baseball’s excellent spelled good fortune.
At 50-22, the Rays reached 50 wins within the fewest video games in franchise historical past, and it’s fix for the second one quickest any workforce has reached 50 wins within the month 20 seasons, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data analysis.
Luke Raley crash a go-ahead solo homer with one out within the 8th, Manuel Margot hooked up previous, and the Rays beat the 19-win A’s 4-3 on Thursday.
Rays rookie govern anticipation Taj Bradley struck out the primary six A’s batters to bring and a career-high 11 in all, surrendering Seth Brown‘s tying two-run unmarried within the 5th.
Certain, the Rays are pleased with their win general at this level.
“That sounds really good, I’m really excited to get out of here, though,” supervisor Kevin Money stated.
The A’s loaded the bases in opposition to former Oakland pitcher Jake Diekman within the 7th just for the protection in order a grand play games. Seth Brown crash a hardened grounder — with an move speed of 107.9 mph — that 2nd baseman Taylor Walls fielded and fired house to save lots of a run, and next catcher Francisco Mejia threw to first for the inning-ending double play games.
“Honestly, I knew I had time because of the force out at home so I kind of took a half-step back before that,” Partitions stated. “That ball was smoked, so I didn’t really have time to think about anything. But after I realized I gloved it clean I knew that it was a chance for a double play.”
Robert Stephenson (1-0) got here in for Diekman to get the overall out of the 7th. Proper-hander Pete Fairbanks returned from the 15-day injured listing with irritation in his left hip and completed for his 6th save.
Fairbanks is nursing a dark seeing at the precise facet of his face then dunking moment taking part in basketball in his nation’s lake with 3-year-old son Isak and hitting the backboard.
“Teach him an early lesson in life: When you’re in the paint, you cannot be caught unaware underneath the basket,” Fairbanks stated. “Did that end up with me with a black eye? Yes. So, it was fun. My wife has been making fun of me about it, as has pretty much everybody here. So, it’s been a good past five days or whatever.”
Paul Blackburn struck out a career-high 9 for the A’s, who had their season-best seven-game profitable streak snapped an evening previous. Austin Pruitt (1-4) took the loss.
JJ Bleday beat out an infield unmarried to begin the 3rd for the primary baserunner in opposition to Bradley.
“Electric stuff,” Oakland’s Tony Kemp stated about Bradley.
Earlier than Thursday, the one Rays pitcher to resign the primary six batters via strikeout was once Blake Snell in opposition to the Mariners on June 3, 2018. It marked the primary past the primary six A’s batters struck out in a competition since April 8, 1987, in opposition to Frank Viola and the Twins.
Margot hooked up for his 3rd homer within the fourth to assistance Bradley a past then hitting 3 doubles. All 3 of Margot’s homers have come in opposition to the A’s.
Blackburn bumped into hassle in the second one, when Harold Ramirez reached on an error prior to the right-hander surrendered a unmarried to Raley, Isaac Paredes‘ RBI unmarried and next an RBI double to Partitions.
Richard Lovelady relieved Blackburn however needed to move within the 7th on account of an shock. Supervisor Mark Kotsay stated the pitcher skilled a burning sensation in his elbow 20 months post-Tommy John surgical procedure and would go through an MRI examination.
Kemp snapped a career-long 0-for-24 hitless stretch with a unmarried within the 3rd — his 3rd crash in past video games. He previous had stretch of 23 directly hitless at-bats.
The Rays gained the season layout for the second one directly yr, going 5-2 then a three-game sweep in Tampa from April 5 to 7 by which they outscored the A’s 31-5 with a couple of 11-0 victories.
Oakland is celebrating its travel in a tricky first part.
“Coming back home after a really good road trip and taking the first two from them I feel like it kind of [opened] some people’s eyes in here a little bit,” Blackburn stated, “we’re a good team.”
The Related Press contributed to this file.
