Newcomers Luke Raley, Jonathan Aranda Get Rays Off to Hot Start in 4-3 Walk-Off Win
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Luke Raley and Jonathan Aranda didn't wait long to make great first impressions in their Tampa Bay Rays debuts on Friday night. They both started their nights with hits — and then celebrated a walk-off win at the end.
The Rays beat the Pirates 4-3 in 10 innings, getting early run support from their two newest teammates, a timely hit from Harold Ramirez in extras and some record-setting pitching. Jeffrey Springs and four relievers combined for 17 strikeouts and no walks.
A lot of impressive stuff.
"The guys were pumped (in the dugout). It's one of those things he'll never forget,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Aranda's first major-league hit. "And (Raley) got a hit and looked good in the outfield, too.
"And Harold's been really reliable with a bat in his hand. He's always up for whatever is asked of him, and he appreciated the role he's in. He's an important hitter for us, especially late in games.''
Raley and Aranda were called up from Triple-A Durham on Tuesday after veteran outfielders Manuel Margot and Kevin Kiermaier went on the injured list. They didn't play in their first two games here but were both penciled in the lineup Friday, with Raley hitting fifth in left field and Aranda, who was making his major-league debut, batting seventh and playing second base.
They went right to work in the second inning. Josh Lowe, who just returned from Durham on Monday himself, led off the inning with a single and then promptly stole second. Raley singled to center, and Lowe scored easily. Shortstop Taylor Walls walked, and then Aranda singled, scoring Raley.
Two newcomers, two hits, two RBIs — and a quick 2-0 lead.
Luke Raley's Rays debut is off to a good start pic.twitter.com/7ZCDZDoOH0
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 24, 2022
✅ MLB debut
— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) June 24, 2022
✅ First hit
✅ First RBI
Welcome to the Show, Jonathan Aranda! #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/BdHVof6VPq
The Rays were gifted another run in the inning when Pirates starter Mitch Keller balked, and Walls came in from third.
Springs had cruised through his first three innings, but then the Pirates started to measure him up. In the fourth inning, a pair of solo home runs from Michael Chavis and Diego Castillo cut the lead to 3-2, and then Hoy Park, the Pirates' No. 9 hitter, added another solo shot in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3.
"The home runs are what they are, and I'd like to have those back, but typically solo shots won't beat you,'' Springs said. ''I feel like I gave us a chance to win. I was just trying to get back to filling the zone up and challenge hitters.''
Springs pitched six innings and struck out nine Pirates hitters, which is a career-high. He threw 102 pitches, also a career high. It's the most pitches that any Tampa Bay starter had throw all year. He also retired six of the final seven hitters he faced, so he had just enough left in the tank.
"It's understanding that I've got to get deep in the game because those guys have carried the load down there (in the bullpen),'' he said. "I'll take it.''
The bullpens took control from there, forcing extra innings. Matt Wisler, Colin Poche and Brooks Raley covered the 7-8-9 window without allowing a hit. Raley gave up the only baserunner in the ninth, hitting Castillo to open the inning, but then he got three straight strikeouts to work out of the jam.
In the 10th, Jason Adam had a bigger problem. Park reached on an infield single to push placed runner Tyler Heineman to third. But Adam got out of the inning with two strikeouts and a pop-up to keep the score tied.
"That was a pretty remarkable effort (by Adam),'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Big pitch after big pitch that he made. All of our bullpen was great. Our pitching was outstanding.''
In the bottom of the inning, speedy Vidal Brujan was the placed runner at second. Pinch-hitter Francisco Mejia popped up to open the inning, but then Brujan got a good jump and stole third on the first pitch with pinch-hitter Harold Ramirez in the box. Ramirez then ripped the second pitch into left field for the game-winner, setting off a wild celebration around Ramirez.
Cash said that Brujan's steal at third might have been the play of the game. Ramirez agreed, saying it made his job at the plate much easier with a runner at third and just one out.
"That (moment) made me feel excited, but I just kept thinking to stay calm because it was a good opportunity for the team, so do your job and get excited after,'' Ramirez said. "I was just looking for a good pitch. I know the pitcher (Yerry de los Santos), he throws a lot of sliders, that's what the report said.
"I'm just going to give my 100 percent every time they give me the opportunity. (Brujan stealing third) was great because then I just had to put the ball in play, because something was going to happen. This is fun, always.''
It was the perfect ending with a great beginning. Raley and Aranda got to enjoy their first win, and walked out of the clubhouse knowing they had also contributed in a big way on their first day of duty.
"It definitely calmed me down getting that first hit, but to be honest, I felt like I had my nerves under control pretty well,'' Raley said. "I was excited more than anything, and it was a great feeling with this great group of guys supporting you. They were great in the dugout, and they're all very supportive.
"And it was great to be able to celebrate out there, too, after we won. I loved it.''
It was the 10th straight close game that the Rays have played, with every game since June 12 decided by two runs over less. That's the longest streak in Rays history. It was their 10th extra-innings game, and they're 7-3. Only the San Diego Padres (11) have played more.
The two teams meet again on Saturday afternoon, with Corey Kluber (3-4, 3.46 ERA) taking on Pittsburgh's J.T. Brubaker (1-7, 4.11 ERA). The game starts at 1:10 p.m. ET
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Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.