ST. PETERSBURG -- At this point, it’s probably wise to never count these Rays out of a game. They certainly never believe they’re out, even when they’re down.
That was the feeling veteran starter Steven Matz had in the home clubhouse at Tropicana Field on Wednesday afternoon as the Rays entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing the Orioles by two runs.
Sure enough, the Rays stormed back with a four-run rally and completed their MLB-leading sixth sweep of the season with a 5-3 victory. They have won four games in a row, eight of their last 10 and 21 of 25, improving their MLB-best record to 33-15 heading into a weekend series at Yankee Stadium.
Tampa Bay's 21-4 mark over the last 25 games is tied for the best over any 25-game span in team history -- most recently done Aug. 8 to Sept. 4, 2020.
“Everyone was saying it just feels like a game where we're going to come back and win,” Matz said. “It just feels like every night, it's someone different, and it's so much fun.”
With two outs and speedster Chandler Simpson on first base in the eighth, Junior Caminero ripped a full-count sinker from Anthony Nunez to right field, and Simpson hustled to third.
In came Oliver Dunn, acquired in a trade with the White Sox late Tuesday night and called up Wednesday morning, to pinch-run for Caminero at first. And up came Jonathan Aranda, the American League leader in RBIs with 37.
“I was really concentrated going into it, obviously. You know this is kind of the at-bat of the game for me, so I had to be prepared,” Aranda said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “I was thinking, you know, 'This is the one I'm going to be thinking about all day, so I've got to come through.'”
Aranda was hoping to at least drive in one run. He wound up tying the game. With two strikes, Aranda reached down and laced a changeup to right-center field for a two-run double.
“Jonny's probably the right guy to come up there with guys on base, game on the line,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We've got a bunch of guys that are coming through in those moments right now. Things are going well.”
So, of course, the rally wasn’t over.
Ryan Vilade worked a walk, then Richie Palacios swatted a high, 3-0 fastball to right field for a tiebreaking single -- somewhat to his surprise. Palacios looked straight up toward the Trop’s domed roof when the ball came off his bat, then looked especially fired up as he celebrated at first base.
“I took a swing, it hit the barrel, and then I didn't know where the ball went,” Palacios said, smiling. “I looked straight up, and then I just heard everyone screaming, so I just started running, and then I saw it in right field. So, thankfully, that landed safely.”
With Jonny DeLuca at the plate, Palacios took off for second, and Vilade hustled home on a delayed double-steal to put the Rays ahead by two. Cash acknowledged it was a “risky play” call, one he said he’d wear if it went wrong, but he was impressed by Vilade’s execution.
Vilade couldn’t recall if he’d stolen home at any point before, but he was certain he would remember this play.
“Saw him coming up to throw and took off,” Vilade said. “Felt like Benny the Jet from The Sandlot. Kinda fun.”
Just like that, with the “Tarps Off” crowd in left field twirling their shirts and cheering like crazy, the Rays’ stirring rally was complete. Left-hander Ian Seymour shut the door in a perfect ninth inning, and their 13th come-from-behind win of the season was in the books.
“It's been the message all year, right?” Aranda said. “We're not going to give up, no matter the situation, no matter the outs.”
The Rays had to come back because they were kept quiet most of the day by former teammate Shane Baz, who held Tampa Bay to only two hits while striking out six over six innings. The lone run he allowed was a special one, though, as Hunter Feduccia launched his first Major League home run in his 71st big league game.
“Finally got it done,” Feduccia said, smiling. “Felt like it's been weighing on me a little bit, but it's a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders, for sure.”
Matz did his part by allowing just one run in four innings in his first start back from the injured list, and Jesse Scholtens surrendered two solo shots while covering four innings out of the bullpen.
The way they’ve played over the past month, though, a late-inning deficit must feel like only a minor inconvenience for the Rays.
“It's a fun feeling, for sure. We've got a great group of guys,” Vilade said. “I love everyone in this locker room. Even going into the eighth down, I still felt like we were gonna win this game.”