After three scoreless innings Thursday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Rays scored six runs off three hits in the fourth inning. The Rays never looked back, beating the Oakland Athletics 10-1 for the team’s 16th series-sweep of the season.
Recap
The first hit of the fourth inning was a single from Chandler Simpson to center with bases loaded. That scored both Junior Caminero and Liam Hicks to give the Rays an early 2-0 lead. With Johnny DeLuca now on third, Simpson later reached second after Ryan Vilade was hit by pitch.
With the bases loaded for the Rays once more, Richie Palacios doubled to right-field, scoring DeLuca. A fielding error from Athletics catcher Jonah Heim kept the bases moving until Simpson and Vilade crossed home, too.
Rays shortstop Taylor Walls bunted Palacios home from third a pitch later to put the Rays up 6-0. Walls also recorded a game-high six assists in his return from the 10-Day IL (right hip flexor strain).
Outfielder Jake Fraley also played his first game for the Rays since May 15 against the Miami Marlins after being reinstated from the 60-Day IL (hernia) on Sept. 15.
The next Ray to cross home was Simpson in the sixth inning. Simpson stole second and third after a single, and walked home from there after Athletics pitcher Joe Rock walked Walls with bases loaded. With the bases still juiced two batters later, Rock walked Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda, sending outfielder Cedric Mullins home for the Rays eighth run.
A single from Hicks batted in the final two runners of the game to put the final score at 10-1. The Rays forced a combined nine walks from the Athletics pitchers, tying the second-highest amount in a game for Tampa Bay this season.
Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen recorded his 15th win of the season, tying Nick Martinez for the team lead. Through five innings, Rasmussen allowed just four hits and no earned runs with four strikeouts.
Simpson gets closer to history
Simpson’s 55th multi-hit game of the season rose his batting average to .312, putting him ahead of Houston Astros hitter Yordan Alvarez (.310) to pace the American League.
The speedster’s 43rd and 44th stolen bags of the season also widened his gap for the AL lead. If Simpson retains both leads by season’s end, he would be the first to do so since Jose Altuve in 2014. Simpson also has a chance to become the first AL batting champion without a home run in a season since Minnesota Twins Hall-of-Famer Rod Carew in 1972.
No one has ever won a batting title for either league with an OPS lower than .700. Simpson has a better chance than anyone to make that happen, as his OPS currently sits right at that margin.
Next Up
Currently five games ahead of the New York Yankees for the AL East crown, the Rays aim to open its final homestand this season with a win against the division-rival Boston Red Sox on Sept. 18 at 7:10 p.m. EST.