Homerless for a year, Walls socks 2 in 30 minutes as Rays roll to 8th straight win

WEST SACRAMENTO -- The two baseballs that sit on a pile of socks in Taylor Walls’ locker tell the story.

Written on one in blue ink below Walls’ name: “First home run in 380 days.” On the other: “First home run in 30 minutes.”

It’s hard to sum up Walls’ memorable night at Sutter Health Park any better.

The slick-fielding but light-hitting shortstop came into Tuesday’s game against the Athletics without a home run in his previous 365 plate appearances, dating back more than a calendar year. He left with his first two dingers of the season -- one from each side of the plate -- and helped power the Rays to a 12-4 rout, their eighth consecutive win.

“It’s been a while, it feels like, so it was nice to finally see one leave,” Walls said. “It always gives you a little bit of confidence. It was nice to see the second one go, too. I guess they come in bunches.”

Forgive the Rays infielder if he can’t quite remember the feeling of a multihomer game -- his only previous one came on April 18, 2023, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. That was also the site of Walls’ last home run on July 27, 2025.

Last, that is, until a cool Tuesday night in West Sacramento.

Batting left-handed against righty starter Mason Barnett, Walls pulled a two-run homer into Tampa Bay’s right-center-field bullpen in the fourth inning. He turned around to bat right-handed against lefty reliever Brady Basso in the sixth and just cleared the left-field wall.

Walls said he even got jammed on Basso’s letter-high fastball out over the middle, an admission that drew teasing disbelief from at least one other Rays player in the clubhouse. But the homer counted just the same, and for the second time, Walls circled the bases, pumped his right arm as he rounded third base and ducked through a tunnel of teammates in the dugout.

The Rays’ reaction? “Like someone hasn’t hit a homer in 400 days and then he hits two in one game,” Walls said sardonically.

“Oh, gosh, he cranked both of those balls,” said infielder Carson Williams, who was one to talk: He pinch-hit in the eighth inning and crushed an opposite-field three-run homer, his first of 2026. “It was awesome. The excitement in this clubhouse and in the dugout is unmatched right now.”

It’s an understandable feeling for a club that is 8-0 on its road trip through Colorado, Seattle and West Sacramento and can sweep its third straight series with a win in Wednesday’s 3:05 p.m. ET finale.

From the start on Tuesday, things were all coming up Tampa Bay. In the first inning, third baseman Junior Caminero launched his 35th home run of the season off the batter’s eye beyond center field to tie for the MLB lead. Designated hitter Yandy Díaz went back to back with Walls in the fourth, and outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. ripped his 10th homer of the year in the seventh.

After cobbling together an eight-run rally to win Monday’s series opener in comeback fashion, the Rays showed on Tuesday that they can get it done in any fashion.

“I think we all feel like our offense is pretty dynamic and can score in different ways,” manager Kevin Cash said. “The power’s great when it shows up, but when it doesn’t, we know we have other available ways to score runs.”

In the midst of a big offensive night, it was easy to overlook that Rays starter Nick Martinez was cruising through the A’s lineup with a low pitch count. At first, anyway.

Once Martinez got through the seventh inning at 71 pitches with just two runs allowed and his club up 9-2, Cash checked in with the veteran right-hander. Was Martinez prepared to finish what he started?

“I said I wanted it,” Martinez said.

He sure did. Despite running into trouble in the ninth, allowing two more runs on three straight hits, Martinez gave the Rays’ bullpen a night off and completed his second career complete game. He threw 101 pitches, allowed eight hits and struck out five without issuing a walk.

“I’m so pumped for him,” Cash said. “The whole clubhouse right now is very excited. That’s impressive, the way he navigated through that.”

From Martinez’s performance to Walls’ special night, there’s plenty to be excited about with the way the Rays are playing.

“It feels great,” Walls said. “Hopefully we keep it going tomorrow.”