The Tampa Bay Rays began the final series of its season-long 10 game homestand with a 6-1 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 26 at Tropicana Field.
Starting pitcher Nick Martinez lowered his earned run average to third lowest in the American League (2.66), allowing only one run for the first time since May 22. Relievers Cam Booser, Kevin Kelly, Garrett Cleavinger, and Craig Kimbrel kept the Diamondbacks scoreless from there.
The Rays now have five wins under their belt when recording six or less hits offensively.
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero picked up where he left off from his first career three home-run game Thursday against the Kansas City Royals, slamming one 437 feet with Yandy Diaz and Jonanthan Aranda on base for a 3-1 lead.
Caminero’s hit and homer was the first of five earned runs allowed by Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen, whose total of 64 runs following the game is now the second highest among MLB pitchers this season.
The Rays did not record another hit until Diaz doubled to open the bottom of the sixth. The hit moved Diaz’s career total bases to 1,507, passing former Rays outfielder BJ Upton for fourth in franchise history.
After Cedric Mullins hit his seventh home run this season to extend the Rays lead to 4-1, Diaz passed Upton in the record books again one frame later, with an RBI single that moved Diaz to sixth most RBI’s (448) in Rays history. Diaz scored a pitch later when Aranda hit a RBI double for the Rays’ last run of the night.
Rays defenders left the ground six times during catch attempts, with half of them reaching a glove. One of which was a jumping snag in the fourth from Caminero, who has committed the most errors (11) of any third baseman in the majors. The inning’s second out proved to be pivotal, as one out later prevented Diamondback base runners on first and third from scoring.
Another win at Tropicana Field extends the Rays’ league-best home record to 29-12. The Rays will have a chance to clinch a third series in June on Saturday at 6:10 EST.