*Photo from Sportskeeda*
There's nothing that is stopping the Tampa Bay Rays right now. Randy Arozarena homered, then drove in the winning run, and the Rays defeated the Chicago White Sox with a 4-3 victory in 10 innings on Saturday in Saint Petersburg.
With the win, Tampa Bay has now won 4 straight games and 7 of their last 10, improving to an astounding 18-3 on the season. Unlike most games, it was one player who drove in all the runs, as Arozarena delivered all 4 RBI's for the Rays.
Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks said of Arozarena that "When he's locked in, this is what he does. He, I think, used the WBC to kind of jump-start himself, and then he has not stopped since then."
It was Arozarena who started the scoring, hitting a two run home run in the first inning to give the Rays an early lead. Not too long after that, Eloy Jimenez got the White Sox on the board, making it a 2-1 game with a solo home run to left field. Yasmani Grandal tied it in the top of the 5th inning with a solo shot of his own, making it a 2-2 game.
When the bottom of the 5th came, Arozarena delivered again, hitting an RBI single to score Yandy Diaz and make it 3-2 Rays. It stayed that way until the 8th inning, when Gavin Sheets hit a pinch hit solo home run to tie the game 3-3. With two runners on in the 10th inning, Arozarena scored Vidal Brujan on a single, giving the Rays a walk off 4-3 win.
Arozarena said of his at bat in the 10th that "I was happy I was in that situation. I really hadn't been in a walk-off situation like that before. It was my first time, but thank God I was able to get that hit."
Shane McClanahan started for the Rays, pitching 6 innings and allowing two runs in a no decision. Colin Poche, Jason Adam, and Fairbanks each pitched an inning after McClanahan departed, leading to Garrett Cleavinger throwing the 10th inning and getting credit for the win.
Getting the start for the White Sox was Dylan Cease, who was charged with 3 runs on 6 hits while failing to record an out in the 5th inning. Keynan Middleton finished the inning before Gregory Santos provided two shutout innings. Kendall Graveman pitched a scoreless 8th inning and Reynaldo Lopez did the same in the 9th. Jimmy Lambert pitched the 10th and got the loss.
Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said after the game that "We are playing hard. We are competing. We had a chance to win both games. We’ve got a good team. I’m not going to question anything here. We got a good team. We prepare. We just gotta keep doing what we are doing."
Up next, the series concludes on Sunday afternoon. The Rays will go for the sweep with Zach Eflin taking the mound, while the White Sox look to salvage a win with Lucas Giolito getting the start.
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