Jose Caballero’s first-inning grand slam and Yandy Diaz’s seventh-inning solo homer provided all the offense the host Tampa Bay Rays would need in a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.
The Rays took advantage of the dimensions at Steinbrenner Field, the home ballpark of the Yankees during spring training, which has the same outfield dimensions as Yankee Stadium.
The Rays are playing their home games there this season because of the damage done to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., by Hurricane Milton last October.
Caballero’s slam off Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-2) cleared the short porch in right field and was estimated at 327 feet according to Statcast. Likewise, Diaz’s homer to right field also was estimated at 327 feet.
The Angels, meanwhile, hit four homers, including two by Kyren Paris, but all four were solo shots. Taylor Ward and Jorge Soler also homered for Los Angeles.
For Paris, the two homers lifted his season total to a club-best five. He’s also hitting .440 (11 for 25).
Rays starter Ryan Pepiot (1-1) gave up three of the homers but got the victory after going five innings and allowing six hits and three walks. He struck out five.
Pepiot found trouble at the outset, with the Angels loading the bases with one out in the first inning. But the right-hander escaped, striking out Logan O’Hoppe and Yoan Moncada to end the inning.
Paris led off the Angels’ second with his first homer of the game, and the Angels went on to load the bases with two outs. But Pepiot avoided further damage by getting Soler to pop out to end the inning.
Pete Fairbanks pitched a scoreless ninth for Tampa Bay to earn his second save. He walked Nolan Schanuel with two outs in the ninth to bring up Mike Trout, but Trout popped out to first.
–Field Level Media
