Rays, sparked by Jose Caballero grand slam, snap 5-game losing streak
Published in Baseball
TAMPA, Fla. — The Rays accomplished their first goal Wednesday, grabbing an early lead for the first time in more than a week on Jose Caballero’s first-inning grand slam.
Then they finished the job, beating the Loa Angeles Angels 5-4 to snap a five-game losing streak.
The Rays got four runs in the first, loading the bases with two outs after a combination of a Yandy Diaz leadoff single, Junior Caminero fielder’s choice, Curtis Mead single, Christopher Morel strikeout and Danny Jansen walk.
Caballero took advantage with what may have been the first “Steinbrenner Field homer,” a seemingly pedestrian-looking fly ball to right field — 327 feet, 95.1 mph exit velocity and a 39-degree launch angle — that carried over the fence.
Per Statcast, Steinbrenner Field was the only one of the 30 current parks where it would have been a homer. Not even Yankee Stadium, which has the same dimensions.
Ryan Pepiot battled through five innings, throwing 58 pitches in the first two and 91 in all. He allowed three homers but left with a 4-3 lead.
The Rays extended the margin to 5-3 when Yandy Diaz hit his first homer of the season, and picked up his second RBI, in the seventh.
After Pepiot left, Kevin Kelly, Manny Rodriguez, Mason Montgomery and Pete Fairbanks each worked an inning, with only Montgomery allowing a run.
Fairbanks made it interesting, walking Nolan Schanuel with two outs to face Mike Trout but got him to pop out.
Dubious distinction of the day
In their frustrating 4-3 loss Tuesday, the Rays had a runner on third with no outs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings but didn’t score any runs. Per StatsPerform, they are the first team to do that in a one-run loss (including postseason games) since at least 1974, when play-by-play data is fully available.
Thursday: vs. Angels
— 1:10 p.m. ET, Steinbrenner Field
— TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM, 106.7-FM (Spanish)
— Pitchers: Rays — RH Zack Littell (0-2, 4.15); Angels— RH Jose Soriano (1-1, 3.65)
On deck
— Friday: vs. Braves, 7:05 p.m. Rays, RH Taj Bradley (1-0, 4.91); Braves, RH AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2, 5.19)
— Saturday: vs. Braves, 4:10 p.m. Rays, RH Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 0.90); Braves, TBA
— Sunday: vs. Braves, 1:40 p.m. Rays, RH Shane Baz (1-0, 1.38); Braves, LH Chris Sale (0-1, 6.75)
— Monday: vs. Red Sox, 7:05 p.m. Rays, RH Ryan Pepiot (1-1, 3.38); Red Sox, TBA
— Tuesday: vs. Red Sox, 7:05 p.m. Rays, RH Zack Littell (0-2, 4.15); Red Sox, TBA
— Wednesday: vs, Red Sox, 7:05 p.m. Rays, RH Taj Bradley (1-0, 4.91); Red Sox, TBA
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