The Rays handled their own business Wednesday night, and a little help arrived from Minnesota before the first pitch was even old news at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay held off the Athletics, 4-3, shortly after the Yankees fell 5-4 to the Twins in 13 innings, pushing the Rays to 92-59 and opening a 4 1/2-game cushion atop the American League East with 11 games remaining.
Rays Build Division Lead With 4-3 Win Over Athletics
It was the kind of September scoreboard night every first-place clubhouse welcomes, though Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen has been reminding teammates that the only score worth controlling is the one on their own field.
Before the club assembled in white uniforms for its annual team photograph Wednesday afternoon, several Rays players watched the opening innings of the Yankees-Twins game from the home clubhouse couches. Rasmussen’s message has remained simple: win the game in front of you, and the rest will take care of itself.
“As long as we handle our work, it really does not matter,” Rasmussen said. “We can only play the club on our schedule that night. If we win, what happened somewhere else does not change that.”
The Rays got the desired result from both games. New York’s extra-inning loss came roughly an hour before Tampa Bay secured its own one-run victory.
The division margin could reach five games Thursday if the Rays beat the Athletics in the series finale while the Yankees are idle. Even with a loss, Tampa Bay would carry a four-game lead into its weekend home series against the Red Sox. A Thursday victory also would give the Rays their MLB-best 16th series sweep of the season.
Early Doubles Give Martinez Four-Run Support
Tampa Bay did its damage early against Oakland. Junior Caminero, Jonny DeLuca and Chandler Simpson lined up consecutive two-out doubles in the first inning, producing two runs. Nick Fortes and Ryan Vilade added RBI hits in the second, and the Rays had a 4-0 lead.
Nick Martinez worked five innings and threw 72 pitches, but the Athletics trimmed the deficit when Tommy White and Henry Bolte each hit a solo homer in the third. Martinez’s departure after five frames left Tampa Bay’s bullpen with a 4-2 advantage to protect.
Kevin Kelly was tested immediately in the sixth. He allowed a run before recording an out, then struck out the side and returned for a smooth seventh inning. Left-hander Cam Booser followed with a scoreless eighth, extending another strong performance in his breakout season.
Rather than call on closer Bryan Baker for the ninth, the Rays gave the ball to right-hander Cole Sulser. Sulser finished the job for his third save of the year, preserving the four-run opening surge and another important September win.
SEO Title
Rays Beat Athletics 4-3, Extend AL East Lead to 4 1/2 Games
SEO Description
Tampa Bay beat Oakland 4-3 after the Yankees lost in 13 innings, moving the Rays to 92-59 and a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL East.
