Two-out, four-run rally in sixth power Rays to series win.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Erasmo Ramirez would dominate the Reds through five-plus innings and the offense would rally late as the Rays took two out of three against Cincinnati.
With two aboard and two outs, Steven Souza Jr would break a scoreless tie in the third with a long RBI single off the left field wall driving home Jesus Sucre.
After a 6-5-2-4-5-7 put out gets Erasmo and the Rays out of the top of the fourth, Trevor Plouffe would lead off the home half with his eighth home run of the season, first as a Ray, making it a 2-0 ballgame. With two runners on, Mallex Smith would notch his second hit of the ballgame. This one would drive home Daniel Robertson and make it a 3-0 Rays lead.
The Reds would get on the board in the top of the fifth with a lead off home run by Scott Schebler. It would also break up Erasmo’s no-hitter through four.
With two aboard in the top of the sixth, Erasmo would give way to former Reds reliever, Jumbo Diaz. After striking out Adam Duvall, Jumbo would load the bases walking Eugenio Suarez. Enter lefty Jose Alvarado to face Schebler who had already homered in the fifth off Erasmo. Schebler’s hard comebacker would deflect off Alvarado and score a run with what would become an infield single. Devin Mesoraco would strike out swinging to end the threat.
Two outs, no problem.
Two outs, bottom six, All Star hopeful, Corey Dickerson would single home Peter Bourjos to get the Rays back a 4-2 lead. Souza Jr would follow with an RBI single of his own. Logan Morrison would double home two more runs the very next at bat. All four runs in the inning came home with two outs.
LoMo doubles home a pair as the Rays score four with two outs!
7-2, #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/5LnsM1dlHx
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 21, 2017
Jesse Winker would lead off with the seventh off Alvarado. He would eventually come around to score, cutting into the Rays lead and making it 7-3.
Taylor Featherston crushed his second HR of the year into the left field seats in the seventh for some insurance.
Cincinnati would rally in the eighth off Tommy Hunter. After a lead off walk to Joey Votto, Adam Duvall would double putting two runners in scoring position. Souza Jr would make a diving attempt on Duvall’s double and was down for a moment. He would get up slowly on his own and stay in the game.
Chase Whitley would come in with the bases loaded and get the Rays out of the jam with no runs across. A perfect ninth from Whitley would slam the door and secure a series win.
NEXT UP:
- Rays have an off-day Thursday before welcoming the Baltimore Orioles to town.
- Chris Archer (5-4, 3.75), Jacob Faria (3-0, 1.37), and Jake Odorizzi (4-3, 3.78) will start the three-games vs Orioles.
