Jonathan Aranda’s walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning capped a four-hit outing, and the Tampa Bay Rays swept the first half of their six-game homestand with a 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The left-handed designated hitter, who went 4 for 5 and had half of his club’s hits, looped an 0-1 single off Caleb Kilian (1-1) over second base to easily score designated runner Chandler Simpson as the Rays moved to 16-5 in the past 21 games.
Ian Seymour (1-0) fired a perfect 10th inning, as the Rays allowed just two runs in 28 innings to the Giants, who lost their sixth straight.
Tampa Bay starter Steven Matz allowed one run on four hits in six innings with one walk and one strikeout.
San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt had two hits, an RBI and stole base, while Rafael Devers had a double and a run.
Giants starter Tyler Mahle tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed only four hits. He struck out five and walked one.
After scoring just one run over the first two games, the Giants immediately took their first lead of the series in the top of the first inning after Devers’ double. Schmitt followed with a lined, RBI single to center for the lead, but Matz managed a double-play ground from cleanup hitter Luis Arraez.
Mahle and Matz pitched almost identically effective from the second to fourth innings, as each hurler allowed just a hit and a walk to keep it a one-run game.
Matz worked around Jung Hoo Lee’s leadoff walk in the fifth and finished the frame with an around-the-horn double-play grounder hit to third baseman Caminero for the home side’s second twin-killing.
Mahle appeared to be out of the sixth with Aranda on first and one out, but a potential double-play ball hit to shortstop Willy Adames was booted, chasing the right-hander from the game after 92 pitches.
After fanning pinch hitter Jonny DeLuca and filling the bases by walking Ben Williamson, lefty reliever Matt Gage forced a flyout by Cedric Mullins to stop the threat.
The Rays tied it in the eighth against reliever Ryan Walker with a pair of successful bunts, including Ryan Vilade’s RBI sacrifice, to score Caminero.
