ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Junior Caminero hit his second game-ending homer in four games, an opposite-field liner leading off the ninth inning that gave the Tampa Bay Rays a 2-1 victory over the Athletics on Tuesday night.
Caminero hit the third pitch from Elvis Alvarado (5-4) just inside the foul pole in right. It was the AL-leading 41st homer this season for 23-year-old, who hit his first career walk-off homer to beat Houston on Friday.
Bryan Baker (3-2) pitched a perfect ninth for the Rays, who’ve won four in a row and are an MLB-best 35-17 since July 20.
Chandler Simpson, who began the night five points behind leader AL batting leader Yordan Alvarez of Houston, had half of the Rays’ six hits. Continuing his pursuit of a batting crown, Simpson went 3 for 3, raising his average to .308, and scored after reaching on a second-inning double.
The left fielder also made a sliding catch to rob Shea Langeliers in the ninth.
Simpson leads the AL in singles (143), triples (six) and stolen bases (41). He looks to join Maury Wills (1962), Snuffy Stirnweiss (1944), George Sisler (1922) and Ty Cobb (1911 and 1917) as the only players since 1900 to lead a league in all three categories.
The Athletics tied it in the sixth when Henry Bolte came home on a wild pitch by reliever Ty Johnson.
Griffin Jax worked five scoreless innings. He struck out seven, allowing two hits and no walks. After Bolte scored, the Rays’ bullpen retired the final 11 batters.
A’s starter Jack Perkins threw a career-best 6 2/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits and one walk with eight strikeouts.
Up next
Tampa Bay right-hander Nick Martinez (14-4, 2.92 ERA) will start Wednesday against Oakland LHP Brady Basso (1-2, 3.86).
