The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the San Diego Padres 5-4 on Sunday at Tropicana Field. The Rays now have 34 comeback victories in 2026, the most of any team in the American League.
“The guys are pumped right now and rightfully so,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Fought hard to get back into that game and we’re doing it off of maybe the best bullpen in baseball. Very encouraged by that.”
With the win, the Rays secured their second-straight sweep against the Padres and their 14th series sweep of 2026, tied for the most sweeps in a season in franchise history.
Down to their last out, Rays outfielder Johnny DeLuca hit an improbable home run off of Mason Miller, tying the game and sending it to extra innings. Miller, who had not allowed a home run all season until his last appearance on August 25, gave up another on a ball that had a 0.010 expected batting average according to Baseball Savant.
Drew Rasmussen got the start and struck out Freddy Fermin in the second inning, passing Tyler Glasnow for ninth-most strikeouts in Rays history. The Padres got to Rasmussen in the fourth inning, as Ty France walked, Jackson Merrill singled, and Xander Bogaerts brought home both runners on a single of his own.
In the bottom of the frame, Junior Caminero hit a home run for the second-straight game to cut the lead to one. Caminero’s ball traveled 455 feet, besting Jonathan Aranda’s 453 foot home run on Saturday for the third-longest ball hit in Tropicana Field this season. For the first time in the series, the Padres went into the top of a frame with the lead.
Recently-activated Padres outfielder Samad Taylor pinch hit for Dustin Harris in the seventh inning and bunted on base. A pickoff error allowed Taylor to reach third base and a Sung-Mun Song sacrifice fly extended the lead.
It looked as though Cam Booser committed a second throwing error on a bunt by Fernando Tatis Jr., which let the slugger get to second base. However, the umpires ruled that Tatis Jr. ran inside the base line and called him out to end the inning.
Tatis Jr. threw his helmet and equipment on the field after the call, leading to his second-career ejection and the end to a dismal 2/13 series for him. San Diego manager Craig Stammen came out to defend his star outfielder and was also ejected.
Over the next 2.2 innings of the game, Padres relievers Bradgley Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon, and Mason Miller held the Rays to only one hit. After Caminero’s home run, he was the only player to collect a hit for Tampa Bay heading into the final out.
DeLuca was due up and hit a deep fly ball to left field into the glove of Taylor for what looked to be the final out. However, Taylor dropped the ball over the fence, tying up the game for Tampa Bay.
“We were pretty fortunate there,” Cash said. “[DeLuca] squared it up off the best closer in baseball, probably, in Mason Miller.”
To start extra innings, both teams were held without a run in the 10th. In the top of the 11th, Manny Machado stole third and scored on a France sacrifice fly to give the Padres the lead once again.
In the bottom of the frame, Liam Hicks hit a ball into center field that dropped, but Richie Palacios could not score the tying run. The Padres walked Chandler Simpson to load the bases, and DeLuca hit a ground ball to Bogaerts, who was unable to make a play, which allowed the tying run to score.
With the winning run at third, veteran second baseman Jorge Mateo hit a ball in the gap over Taylor’s head, walking it off for the Rays. The walk-off was Mateo’s second of his career and first since joining Tampa Bay.
“I kind of feel like they’ve shown [their fight] all season long, so I am not surprised by it, but I am certainly happy,” Cash said.
Next Up
Tampa Bay continues their homestand against the New York Mets starting on Monday. The Rays have swept their last two series’ against the Mets dating back to 2024.
“We going for everybody, just be ready,” Mateo said postgame.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. on August 31.