Rays stay on attack in beating majors-best Tigers again

TAMPA — The names on the lineup card may not jump out to many around the game except the Rays’ own fans.

But it’s getting harder and harder to ignore what they’re doing.

The Rays continued their month-long rampage through opposing pitching staffs, rolling to an 8-3 victory on Saturday, their second straight over a Tigers team that came to Tampa with the best record in the majors.

Tampa Bay moved to a season-high nine games over .500 at 43-34, having won a majors-best 22 of 30 games since May 20.

Ryan Pepiot sweated through three jerseys and lost 7 pounds working five innings on the sweltering afternoon, but the story as it has been on many days was the versatility and explosiveness of the Rays offense.

Starter Ryan Pepiot says of the Rays’ recent run of success: “Hopefully the league’s taking notice.” [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

The first inning was all about good at-bats and passing the baton, scoring four runs by combining two hits, a third-strike passed ball, two walks and a hit batter.

Later, they put on a power show, with Danny Jansen, Junior Caminero and Christopher Morel hitting solo homers.

“It’s a resilient bunch, tons of athletes, guys that could put the ball over the wall, run, hit and run, bunt,” Jansen said. “It’s kind of like a full offense in that way. We’ll try to manufacture runs any way we can, and never out of it. Never feel like we’re out of it. Ever.’’

They’ve proven that, too, maybe never more so than Wednesday against the Orioles when they fell behind 8-0 in the second inning and came back to win 12-8.

In the first two games against the Tigers there was no need for such dramatics as they scored four in the first both times. Just the second time they’ve ever done that (or more runs) in back-to-back games in franchise history.

Christopher Morel celebrates after hitting a home run in the seventh inning. It was a 113-mph blast that carried 434 feet. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

“Tampa (Bay) is hot right now and playing a good brand of ball,” Tigers catcher Jake Rogers said.

During their 22-8 run, they have averaged a majors-most 6.2 runs per game (while their pitchers are allowing only 3.33) and have had 46 multi-run innings, the most of any team.

“It’s expected at this point,” Pepiot said. “But it’s fun to watch. … We get guys on base, guys are figuring ways out to move the runner. Get a guy on second base, hit the ball the other way, Then the guy gets to third base, and let’s pass the baton to the next guy.

“Hitting is contagious. A couple fall through, and then next thing you know, we hit through the lineup.”

The four-run first inning, in which they sent all nine batters to the plate was a good example — and they did most of their work with two outs.

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Between leadoff man Yandy Diaz’s flyout and Junior Caminero’s strikeout, Brandon Lowe swung at strike three but the ball eluded Rogers so Lowe reached.

Jonathan Aranda hits a double in the first inning, when the Rays scored four runs. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

Jonathan Aranda doubled and Morel walked to load the bases. Josh Lowe then worked arguably the biggest at-bat off lefty Tigers opener Brant Hurter, going from 0-2 to a seven-pitch walk to force in a run. Jose Caballero was hit by a pitch to force in another. And Taylor Walls delivered a two-run double.

“A lot of good at-bats,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve got the bases loaded, and then J-Lowe’s walk — to fall behind the way he did, turn the at-bat over and end up walking — (then) the hit by pitch and then Wallsy comes up and smokes the ball to center.”

The relentlessness continued.

In the second, Yandy Diaz led off with a double, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, and Brandon Lowe followed with an RBI single, extending his streak to 10 games.

After that, the Rays switched to the power offense.

Jansen hit one 369 feet to lead off the fourth. With two outs Caminero crushed a Sawyer Gipson-Long fastball 408 feet to the right of center that left his bat at 109.6 mph. Morel topped that in the seventh inning, with a 113-mph blast that carried 434 feet, the fourth longest of the season at Steinbrenner Field.

Shortstop José Caballero and the Rays have averaged a majors-most 6.2 runs per game during their 22-8 run. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

Diaz and Brandon Lowe are veterans with some acclaim, and Caminero got attention in the prospects world and for his Dominican winter league performance.

But the torrid month has allowed some of the other Rays hitters to introduce themselves.

“Yeah, I think everyone’s starting to realize who Jonathan Aranda is,” Pepiot said. “Obviously Junior was a very highly-touted prospect, and he’s proven that — he’s swinging the bat really well, he’s playing defense, he’s putting in the work. He’s putting his head down, grinding.

“Everyone’s figuring out who Cabby is, and (Jake) Mangum and (Kameron) Misner and Morel and Jansen and Matt Thaiss. I mean, everybody. Curtis (Mead), Walls, who else am I forgetting? ‘’

Cash said he hopes they all “get recognized for what they’re doing,” But more importantly, “hope they continue doing it.”

What they are doing, combined with a strong starting rotation and dynamic bullpen, is definitely working.

“It’s special,” Pepiot said. “It’s a great group of guys. It’s a lot of fun. Coming to the yard, we have a good time. We have fun. But we also bust our butts to go out there and try to stay on this run that we’re on.

“Hopefully the league’s taking notice. Because we’re pitching it, we’re playing defense and we’re hitting the ball and it’s a different way we’re winning every single night.”

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