The Tampa Bay Rays (58-62) defeated the As (53-68) 7-4 in West Sacramento, California, to win the opener of the three-game series.
The Rays got two runs in the second inning before adding single runs in the third and fourth to build a 4-0 lead. After the As got one back in the fifth, Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hit solo home runs on back-to-back pitches in the top of the seventh. That would prove to be huge when Tyler Soderstrom hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to pull within 6-4 - Rays got an insurance run in the eighth to make it 7-4 which would prove to be the final score.
Ryan Pepiot (8-3, 3.86) got the win after allowing four earned runs on five hits in six and one-third innings of work while striking out four and walking two. Pete Fairbanks worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 20th save.
The Rays will now look to win the series in the second game coming up on Tuesday night. First pitch in West Sacramento is scheduled for 10:05 PM - Chris Adams-Wall begins pregame coverage at 9:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES