ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays third baseman Junior Caminero launched himself into franchise history Thursday afternoon, tying a team record by hitting three home runs in Tampa Bay's 13-2 win against the Royals at Tropicana Field.
“It’s a treat watching him go to work every day, seeing how far he hits balls,” Rays pitcher Ian Seymour said. “It’s like a spectacle. When the offense shows out like that, it’s a great day for us all.”
Seymour pitched 6 2/3 innings of hitless relief and the Rays were on the verge of a combined no-hitter before ninth-inning reliever Craig Kimbrel served up a no-doubt two-run homer to Royals catcher Carter Jensen.
That was the game’s only remaining suspense because Caminero (3-for-5, six RBIs) had almost single-handedly put it out of reach.
Caminero had 1,152 feet worth of home runs -- a two-run, 372-foot blast in the first inning and a 387-foot solo shot in the fifth, both off Royals starter Seth Lugo. In the eighth, with the game out of hand, Caminero crushed a 393-foot, three-run homer off a 47.6 mph pitch from shortstop Tyler Tolbert, who entered to preserve Kansas City’s bullpen.
Caminero became the seventh Ray (including Evan Longoria twice) to register a three-homer game. He leads all American League third basemen this season with 19 homers.
“Junior is swinging the bat really well,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I mean, that’s saying something, hitting three home runs in the Major Leagues. Lugo is a tough pitcher and he has pitched us very tough in the past. But we did a good job with [Victor] Mesa Jr., [who hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning], and certainly Cam.”
Caminero said he had a three-homer game in the Minor Leagues with the Double-A Montgomery, but would remember this one forever.
“Now I’ve done it in the big leagues,” Caminero said through a team interpreter. “I’ve never forgotten that day with the Biscuits. And now to do it in the big leagues, this is a day that I’ll never forget.”
The Rays sent nine batters to the plate in the eighth inning, giving Caminero an opportunity to hit his third homer. After looking at two strikes, he timed up Tolbert’s lobs and deposited the 1-2 offering into the left-field seats.
“Yeah, I was just looking for the third [homer], to be honest, right?” Caminero said. “I struck out in my previous at-bat [seventh inning against right-hander Connor Seabold]. With the position player [pitching], I was just trying to get a good pitch -- and I got one to drive.”
Caminero said he has slightly opened his batting stance, which has allowed him to see better results against inside pitches.
“Every pitcher in baseball is trying to not allow him to get extended,” Cash said. “But when he does get extended and he gets it elevated, the ball goes as long as anybody in baseball.”
“He has tremendous bat speed,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He knows what he does well. When we executed some pitches, down and away and stuff, you get him out sometimes. But he’s a good hitter and we’re not the only team he has done that to.”