KANSAS CITY -- Junior Caminero’s home run binge ended Thursday night, as he played a game without going deep for the first time since June 24, but the Rays’ winning streak is alive and well.
The Rays finished a three-game sweep of the Royals and won their eighth straight game, riding a strong pitching performance from Ian Seymour and big hits from the bottom of the lineup to a 5-2 victory at Kauffman Stadium.
This is Tampa Bay’s longest winning streak since the 2023 club got off to a 13-0 start. The Rays have outscored their opponents, 52-15, during this stretch while turning a three-game deficit in the American League East standings into a four-game lead over the Yankees.
“We're going to have those ebbs and flows of the season,” veteran starter Nick Martinez said. “I think right now is a good time to have one of those flows headed into the All-Star break.”
Here are three takeaways from the Rays’ latest win, which secured their MLB-leading ninth sweep of the season and improved their record to 51-33.
Seymour shines
Coming off a terrific bulk-inning relief effort in the Rays’ bid for a combined no-hitter against the Royals last week, Seymour tried to keep everyone’s expectations in check for his follow-up start against Kansas City.
“I’m probably going to give up a hit,” Seymour said Wednesday afternoon, laughing.
He delivered immediately on that promise, allowing a leadoff homer to Carter Jensen. He could laugh about that after the fact because he didn’t give up many more after that.
The left-hander breezed through six innings and held the Royals to only three hits and a walk while striking out a career-high-tying eight batters, giving him a 2.52 ERA since he transitioned back to a starter/bulk-inning role.
Seymour racked up 15 swinging strikes, including seven on a sweeper that he used more than any other offering. Seymour finished a pair of strikeouts with that breaking ball, three with his fastball and three with his changeup.
“From an approach standpoint, it was getting ahead,” he said. “If I'm throwing strike one, getting to strike two, then it just puts a hitter in a much more difficult place.”
Cedric the entertainer
Caminero’s home run streak ended at six games, tied for the franchise record. Cedric Mullins is halfway there.
Mullins went deep off right-hander Randy Dobnak in the fifth inning, a two-run shot to right field that made it a 5-1 game. It was Mullins’ third straight game with a home run and his fourth homer in his last five games.
After a brutal start that admittedly dented his confidence, Mullins has returned to form over the last few months. Since June 1, he’s put together a .286/.364/.558 slash line with seven homers and 13 RBIs.
“It’s very subtle adjustments over the course of time, just finding a way to win the day and then something that'll finally click and you can stick with for a little bit,” Mullins said. “I feel like I'm at that point, so just continuing to work on the timing and the approach.”
Mullins’ 10th home run of the season was part of a big night for the bottom five hitters in Tampa Bay’s lineup, a change of pace for a group typically driven by the big three atop the order. Chandler Simpson had three hits and stole his 20th base. Simpson, Taylor Walls, Richie Palacios and Hunter Feduccia each had a hit in the club’s three-run second inning.
“It was huge. They balanced us out a little bit,” manager Kevin Cash said. “It's not going to be the guys at the top every single night. We know that. They know that.”
Wonder Walls
Defensive excellence has become the expectation for Walls, but every so often, he’ll still dazzle his teammates.
“Special defender,” Cash said. “[Pitching coach] Kyle [Snyder] says it all the time: Hit it to Walls.”
Leading off the third inning, Kameron Misner hit a fly ball to shallow left-center field. Simpson crashed in from left and Mullins from center, but Walls was in pursuit from his position in the dirt. The shortstop ran into the outfield, back to the ball, looked up, reached out his glove and completed the over-the-shoulder catch.
“When I relocated the ball, I kind of knew I was the one that was going to have a chance at it,” Walls said. “Once I locate it and realize that I can get to the spot to get it, I expect to catch it every time.”
Walls grinned as he trotted back into the infield. On the mound, Seymour couldn’t suppress a huge smile, either.
“It is amazing,” Seymour said. “Night in and night out, he does stuff like that that makes our job so much easier.”