The Tampa Bay Rays refused to go quietly, turning a bizarre ninth-inning home run into a game-tying rally before completing their comeback in the 11th.
Jonny DeLuca hit a two-out, two-run homer off Padres closer Mason Miller in the ninth inning, and Jorge Mateo delivered the winning RBI single in the 11th as the Rays defeated the San Diego Padres 5-4 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
The victory was Tampa Bay’s sixth straight over San Diego and showcased the Rays’ ability to keep fighting even after seemingly running out of chances.
Miller appeared to have escaped with the save when Samad Taylor tracked DeLuca’s drive toward left field. Taylor reached the wall and appeared positioned to make the catch, but the ball popped out of his glove when he collided with the wall. It landed on the other side of the fence, turning what looked like a game-ending catch into a game-tying, two-run homer.
The homer was especially significant for Miller, who had not surrendered a home run in his first 53 appearances this season. He has now allowed homers in consecutive games and suffered only his second blown save in 34 opportunities.
Tampa Bay’s comeback was completed two innings later. With the automatic runner, Manny Machado, starting the 11th inning at second base, a wild pitch from Rays reliever Tyler Wells allowed Machado to advance to third. Ty France then lifted a sacrifice fly to put San Diego ahead 4-3.
The Rays answered immediately. Liam Hicks led off the bottom half of the inning with a one-out single against David Morgan, putting runners at the corners. Pinch runner Kenny Piper then stole second, and Chandler Simpson was intentionally walked to load the bases.
DeLuca reached on an error by Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts, allowing the tying run to score. That brought Mateo to the plate with the game on the line. Mateo delivered, lining a single to bring home the winning run and send Tampa Bay to its second comeback victory of the series.
The dramatic finish spoiled strong performances from both starting pitchers. Drew Rasmussen allowed two runs on four hits over six innings for Tampa Bay. His seven-game winning streak ended, and he missed an opportunity to become the first Rays pitcher to win six games in a calendar month.
San Diego starter Robbie Ray was equally effective, allowing one run on three hits over six innings. Ray departed with the Padres still holding the lead, but San Diego’s bullpen could not protect it.
The Padres built their early advantage in the fourth inning when Bogaerts delivered a two-run single to give San Diego a 2-0 lead. Tampa Bay answered with another display of power from Junior Caminero.
Caminero launched a towering 440-foot home run in the fourth inning, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and extending his hitting streak to 13 games. It was his second consecutive day with a homer. Caminero’s power has become one of the most remarkable aspects of his season. Nineteen of his 37 home runs have traveled at least 420 feet, the most such homers in the majors.
San Diego added another run in the seventh when Sung-Mun Song hit a sacrifice fly, putting the Padres ahead 3-1 and leaving Tampa Bay in danger of seeing its comeback hopes disappear.
The seventh inning also featured controversy involving Fernando Tatis Jr. Tatis was ejected after being called out for running in fair territory on a comebacker to end the inning.
But the Rays saved their biggest moments for the final innings. DeLuca’s ninth-inning blast erased a two-run deficit, and Mateo’s 11th-inning single finished the job.
What looked like a routine Padres save instead became a stunning collapse, while Tampa Bay completed the sweep with another late-inning comeback.
The Rays’ resilience was on full display Sunday: they fell behind early, watched San Diego regain the lead in the seventh, appeared to have their ninth-inning rally erased by a spectacular defensive play, and still found a way to win.
By the time Mateo’s game-winning hit landed, Tampa Bay had turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-4 victory and walked away with a three-game sweep.
