Vilade, Martinez carry Rays to 10th win in 11 games

ST. PETERSBURG -- Ryan Vilade was hardly a known commodity when he joined the Rays. He had played in only 28 Major League games for four teams over parts of three seasons, with nine hits and a single home run to his name. The Rays acquired him from the Reds in a manner that rarely yields big league impact: in an early November trade for cash considerations.

Nick Martinez, on the other hand, was seen as more of a sure thing when the Rays signed the veteran right-hander to a $13 million deal in February. He was regarded as a steady contributor, a positive presence in the clubhouse and a potential stabilizing force in Tampa Bay’s rotation.

The Rays are getting the most out of both Vilade and Martinez, and they each contributed in a big way to their 5-1 win over the Blue Jays on Monday night at Tropicana Field. Vilade launched a three-run homer to left field in the first inning, and Martinez made that lead stand during his five innings on the mound.

How good has Martinez been for the Rays? He allowed just one run in the series opener, and his ERA actually ticked up to 1.71, the fifth-best mark in the Majors and third-best in the American League. He’s made seven starts this season, and Tampa Bay has won six of them.

The Rays have won four straight games, 10 of their last 11 and 20 of 27 since April 4, improving their overall record to 22-12. Once again Monday, pitching was the key. It was the 11th straight game in which Tampa Bay allowed three runs or fewer, one shy of matching the longest such streak in franchise history.

Vilade handled the heavy lifting at the plate. After Chandler Simpson reached on a leadoff single and Junior Caminero drew a walk against Jays left-hander Eric Lauer, Vilade blasted a first-pitch curveball a Statcast-projected 413 feet out to left field.

It was his first home run of the season and only the second of his career, joining the solo shot he hit for the Tigers off the Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski on July 13, 2024.