ANAHEIM -- The Rays’ lengthy Saturday at Angel Stadium acquired off to a irritating begin. They misplaced Game 1 to the Angels, 7-6, and had been left to lament weakly struck however well-placed hits off starter Tyler Glasnow, defensive errors by Jonathan Aranda and catcher René Pinto and never fairly sufficient offense to finish one other comeback.

“What could go wrong did go wrong, kind of,” Glasnow mentioned.

But the Rays left the ballpark with quite a lot of issues to be ok with after breaking out on the plate and blowing out the Angels, 18-4, in Game 2. Unlike Glasnow’s outing, just about all the things that might go proper within the nightcap did precisely that.

The Rays fell one run shy of their membership document, placing collectively their highest-scoring sport since July 14, 2018. They racked up 20 hits for the eleventh time in franchise historical past, their most since July 12, 2019. And just about everybody performed a component as they shortly put their Game 1 loss behind them.

“That's what's really cool about this team,” starter Zach Eflin mentioned. “When things like that happen, we typically lock in and do what we can to get the win. … Everybody kind of just kept going and feeding off each other, so it was a lot of fun.”

“It was good for the team that the whole lineup was able to produce,” Arozarena mentioned via interpreter Manny Navarro. “I feel good. I think I'm starting to feel a lot more like I did in the beginning of the year.”

After splitting Saturday’s break up doubleheader, the Rays (75-51) misplaced a half-game within the American League East standings, leaving them 2 1/2 video games behind the Orioles heading into consecutive days off earlier than they host the Rockies on Tuesday night time at Tropicana Field. But they headed dwelling feeling inspired about their current play, as they've gained 13 of their final 21 video games whereas claiming six of seven collection throughout that stretch. 

“Good win. Nice road trip,” supervisor Kevin Cash mentioned. “We've done some good things over the last four or five series now, really finding a way to win that final game.”

Saturday was a return to type for Eflin, who surrendered a season-high six runs on 9 hits whereas pitching solely three innings final Sunday. The right-hander permitted only one run on 4 hits in opposition to the Angels as he turned the primary American League pitcher to win 13 video games this season by placing collectively his 14th high quality begin.

“I felt like I got back on track,” Eflin mentioned. “I felt like I was commanding the zone, getting ahead of guys and had some put-away stuff tonight.”

Eflin obtained some help from Arozarena, who ran and reached and slid and spun to snag Renfroe’s fly ball to left within the third inning. (“That was awesome,” Eflin mentioned. “When he turns it on, he's electric.”) And he acquired loads of assist from Tampa Bay’s lineup.

Lefty Patrick Sandoval saved the Rays off the board till the fourth, when Paredes singled and scored on Basabe’s double whereas Mead walked and scored on a groundout by Josh Lowe. After Adams misplayed Arozarena’s two-out fly ball to maintain the fifth inning alive, Ramírez and Paredes singled, then Mead pulled a double down the left-field line.

With his first Major League extra-base hit and RBIs in hand, Mead (the Rays’ No. 3 prospect) instantly scored on No. 6 prospect Basabe’s second RBI double of the night time.

“They're different, but you can tell both of them like to be up there,” Cash mentioned of Basabe and Mead. “I think they kind of thrive in those situations with guys on base.”

The Rays broke the sport open within the sixth in opposition to Jaime Barria. They loaded the bases on singles by Christian Bethancourt, Yandy Díaz and Arozarena, then Ramírez whacked a two-run double to heart. Up got here Paredes, who bashed a three-run shot to left-center.

Paredes’ time alone atop the Rays’ dwelling run leaderboard didn't final lengthy. Three batters later, Siri launched his twenty fourth of the season a projected 410 toes out to left discipline. Nobody in Tampa Bay’s dugout will complain if their pleasant, homer-for-homer competitors continues down the stretch.

“It's all just for fun and within friends,” Paredes mentioned via Navarro. “I don't know who's going to win. Not trying to keep it too competitive. We're just trying to have fun between each other.”

Content Source: www.mlb.com