Manuel Margot and Yandy Diaz lashed consecutive run-scoring doubles in a three-run fifth inning, four Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a seven-hitter and the visiting Rays finally broke through against the Oakland Athletics for a 6-3 victory Wednesday night.
One day after a “reverse boycott” resulted in Oakland’s largest home crowd of the season, just 7,055 showed up to see the Athletics’ seven-game winning streak come to an end despite an early three-run homer by JJ Bleday.
Down 3-1 entering the fifth, the Rays got a one-out single from Taylor Walls off A’s starter Luis Medina (1-6) before the doubles by Margot and Diaz combined to draw the visitors even.
One out later, Josh Lowe greeted reliever Sam Moll with a single that scored Diaz with the go-ahead run.
Seeking a third straight win against the team with the best record in baseball, the A’s used Bleday’s fourth homer of the year to go up 3-1 in the third.
However, Rays starter Tyler Glasnow (2-0) buckled down after that, keeping the A’s from scoring again while pitching into the sixth. He yielded three runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings while walking four and striking out six.
Relievers Ryan Thompson, Colin Poche and Jason Adam kept Oakland scoreless over the final 11 outs, with Adam handling the ninth inning and recording his 11th save.
Tampa Bay padded its lead to 5-3 in the seventh when Margot led off the inning with another double, then took third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a wild pitch, both by reliever Lucas Erceg.
Margot added a career-best third double in the ninth and Diaz followed with his third hit, a single that produced his second RBI and Margot’s third run, increasing the Rays’ advantage to 6-3.
Wander Franco added two hits for Tampa Bay, which avoided a three-game losing streak that would have been its first of the season.
Jace Peterson had a pair of singles for the A’s, whose seven-game winning streak was five longer than any previous run this season.
–Field Level Media
