Rays Bounce Back From 4-Run Deficit, Rally Late to Beat A's 10-7 in 10 Innings
OAKLAND, Calif. — Even in early May, it's easy to run out of superlatives when talking about the Tampa Bay bullpen. Their best relievers have been stunningly good all year, and they were at it again Tuesday night, holding down the fort so the Rays' hitters could erase a four-run deficit.
Thanks to a dramatic two-run home run by Mike Zunino in the ninth inning, the Rays tied the game and then exploded for five runs in the 10th inning, beating the Oakland A's 10-7. It was the Rays' second straight win in the series, and they are now 3-0 in extra-inning games in 2022.
“We were all pumped up; that was very clutch,'' Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said of Zunino's homer. "We were fortunate. That was a big, big win, coming from behind with an early deficit and guys just stayed at it. Z picked us up, and Manny (Margot) got on base to bring that tying run up to the plate. He hit it a long way.''
Tampa Bay (14-10) did it the hard way, too. Ryan Yarbrough, making his first start of the year after dealing with a groin injury, struggled out of the gate, giving up five runs in the first inning, with the big blow a grand slam by Oakland third baseman Kevin Smith, who hadn't hit a homer all year before then. The homer hurt, obviously, but so did the two two-out walks just prior to Smith's at-bat.
Yarbrough didn't make it out of the third inning, forcing the bullpen to cover 20 outs.
They did just that.
In style.
Through regulation, four Rays relievers — Ryan Thompson, Jeffrey Springs, Matt Wisler and Andrew Kittredge pitched a combined 6 2/3 innings and gave up just two hits. Both baserunners were erased by double plays.
That's dominance.
“Really impressive,'' Cash said. "Just a great team win and very appreciative of all the effort from the bullpen.’’
The Rays scored in the first on a Yandy Diaz leadoff single, and he came in on a double from Brandon Lowe. After Oakland's five-spot, Rays center fielder Brett Phillips hit a two-run homer in the second to make it 5-3.
And when Yarbrough left an inning later, they Rays bullpen went to work. They've done this often this year, on many occasions. All five relievers on Tuesday — Jason Adam closed out the game in the 10th — have earned run averages no higher than 1.78 this season. Combined, they have given up only seven runs in 58 1/3 innings, good for a 1.06 ERA.
"It was great. Anytime we can keep it close and give our offense a chance, that's what we want to do in those situations, and everyone stepped up'' said Kittredge, who pitched a perfect ninth inning and got the win. "With (Zunino), I almost kind of expected it. We were due for something like this.
"Springs did a huge job, stretching him out, and getting those double plays were huge. We were kind of talking about it in the bullpen. We got down early, but when Philly hit that home run, we talked that we were going to come back and win this game.''
Entering the ninth inning still down 5-3, Margot got a one-out single to right off of Oakland lefty Kirby Snead. Zunino, who had the day off behind the plate, came on to pinch hit for Kevin Kiermaier. He swung and missed a slider on the second pitch, but got another one a pitch later and ripped it into the left field seats to tie the game.
"You know how it is here, you always have to be ready off the bench because you know Cash seems to push the right buttons,'' said Zunino, who came into the game with a .106 batting average and just one homer and three RBIs all season. "I had a similar at-bat yesterday, and I got one I could drive.''
Zunino was impressed once again with the Rays bullpen.
"It's pretty special what they do,'' Zunino said. "The bullpen has been nothing but spectacular for us, and to keep us in a ballgame like than was great. We've already won more bullpen games this year that I can remember. We'll keep doing it because we all trust those guys.''
Zunino had one of four big hits in the 10th inning, too. Diaz had a great first at-bat, driving a ball into the gap in right to score Harold Ramirez, who started the inning stationed at second base. Wander Franco was intentionally walked, and then rookie Isaac Peredas hit on hard one-hopper that went over Smith's head at third and two runs scored. Margot tripled in a run and then Zunino singled to make it 10-5.
Oakland got two runs off of Adam in the 10th, but he got a groundout from Seth Brown to end the game.
The Rays are now 3-0 in extra inning games and they've even the season series with Oakland. They'll meet one last time in 2022 on Wednesday afternoon. The game starts at 3:37 p.m. ET, with Tampa Bay's Corey Kluber (1-1, 3.05 ERA) facing Oakland ace Frankie Montas (2-2, 4.25)
Related stories on Rays baseball
- JUST FOR STARTERS: Ryan Yarbrough made his first start of the season for Tampa Bay on Tuesday night in Oakland, but it didn't go well. He gave up a grand slam in the first inning and chased out by the third, leaving with the Rays in a 5-3 hole. CLICK HERE
- RAYS WIN OPENER (Monday): Drew Rasmussen was spectacular once again and the Rays won the series opener over the Oakland A's 6-1 on Monday night. CLICK HERE
- RAYS SCHEDULE: Here is the complete 2022 Rays schedule, with dates, locations and game times, plus all of the results so far this season. CLICK HERE
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.