The Tampa Bay Rays (14-14) defeated the San Diego Padres (17-11) 4-2 on Sunday afternoon in San Diego. With the win, the Rays swept the three-game interleague series with the Padres, and finished 5-1 on their West Coast trip through Arizona and San Diego.
The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the second, but Tampa Bay answered in the third. The Rays got two in the third thanks to a solo homer from Taylor Walls and a RBI single from Brandon Lowe. After the Padres tied the game 2-2 the Rays broke the tie in the fifth with a 3-2 tie. Chandler Simpson added insurance with a RBI single in the ninth to make it a 4-2 final score.
Simpson went 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored to help lead the offense. Zack Littell (1-5, 5.03) got his first win of the season, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out one and walking one. Pete Fairbanks earned his sixth save with a perfect ninth inning.
The Rays now travel home for a three-game series against the Royals beginning on Tuesday. Taj Bradley (2-1, 5.08) will get the start for the Rays on Tuesday, and is expected to face Michael Lorenzen (2-3, 3.90) for Kansas City. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM - pregame coverage begins with Ronnie Lane hosting the Inside Pitch at 6:00 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES