With barely any time to breathe, Rays exhale at home against A’s

TAMPA — They will arrive at the All-Star break on fumes. This unconventional season, complete with an unorthodox schedule, has left the Rays sapped by a barrage of humidity and hotel rooms, quick turnarounds and ruthless temperatures.

“I think we’re just kind of tired, coming into this homestand,” rightfielder Josh Lowe said Wednesday. “Kansas City was hot, Baltimore was hot. It’s hot here.”

If any team could use a moment to catch its collective breath, it’s the Rays. Instead, they were left gasping for it Wednesday afternoon before a sellout crowd at Steinbrenner Field.

But maybe, just maybe, they’ll reflect on the tense 6-5 triumph against the Athletics as one of the more character-defining moments, when a fatigued club brandished its fortitude.

“Resilient,” right-handed starter Ryan Pepiot said.

Rays outfielder Jake Mangum runs toward home plate after his inside-the-park home run against Athletics pitcher Mitch Spence during the second inning. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Now, the Rays (48-39), who had lost four of their previous five entering the overcast matinee game, embark on a 10-day, 10-game road odyssey with a smattering of momentum. Plus, they’re now only a half-game back in the American League East after the Blue Jays beat the Yankees for a third straight day, creating a tie atop the division.

“Not necessarily the whole series that we wanted happened, but we had a quick turnaround (Tuesday) night, and to come in here today and win a ballgame was a big deal,” said outfielder Jake Mangum, whose team was only hours removed from its second straight loss to the last-place A’s on Tuesday night.

“It was a long nine-game stretch since Kansas City, so we’ve got 10 games left till the All-Star break. It’s a sprint to that.”

When they reach that figurative finish line, the Rays will have played 19 games — in six different cities — over a 20-day span.

Wednesday featured scattered showers and drama.

Five days after a dreadful start at Baltimore, Pepiot scuffled again early before settling in. Then he watched his offense erupt for a five-run sixth inning to give him a 6-2 lead, only to watch the A’s rally for three runs on six hits in the ninth.

Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) pitches to Athletics designated hitter Nick Kurtz during the third inning. He worked six innings, striking out nine and allowing just four hits. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Reliever Edwin Uceta, who had allowed four of those hits, then recorded consecutive strikeouts — of the Nos. 3 and 4 batters — with the bases loaded to end it and get the save.

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“We’ve got to find a way to convert an out on that ground ball to first somehow,” manager Kevin Cash said of Tyler Soderstrom’s run-scoring blooper toward first, where no one was covering the bag, that cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 6-5.

“But Uceta has been in that role enough with those environments and with the tension around that he can take a deep breath and make big pitches.”

Well before Uceta escaped his jam, Pepiot did the same.

“Kind of a tale of two outings,” Pepiot said. “First couple of innings, not what I wanted, but then settle in and give us a chance.”

After retiring the game’s first two batters on six pitches, Pepiot threw a slider on his eighth that Brent Rooker sent 390 feet, well beyond the leftfield wall. The next inning, Max Schuemann sent the first pitch he saw — a four-seam fastball — over the wall in left-center.

Ten batters in, Pepiot had allowed two homers and had tied his season high for walks in a game (three). Toss in his dreadful 1 ⅔ -inning stint Friday at Baltimore, and Pepiot had surrendered six runs on seven hits with five walks in a 3 ⅔-inning span.

But after issuing a walk immediately following Schuemann’s homer, Pepiot retired seven in a row. He ultimately worked six innings, striking out nine and allowing only four hits.

“He was frustrated, couldn’t quite command the baseball the way he wanted,” Cash said.

“Those aren’t the best (elements). The field conditions, we’ve got the humidity with the sweat, and there’s rain coming down. That’s a challenge for any pitcher. I thought Pep navigated, kept his composure just enough to where he was able to settle in and limit them to two solo homers through six innings.”

Mangum trimmed the Rays’ deficit to 2-1 in the second with a 404-foot shot that ricocheted off the centerfield wall, resulting in the 24th inside-the-park homer in franchise history.

Rays outfielder Josh Lowe celebrates after he hits a home run off of Athletics pitcher Mitch Spence during the sixth inning. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Josh Lowe’s leadoff home run in the sixth tied the score, and Brandon Lowe followed with a double to right-center to extend his hitting streak to 18 games — tied for third longest in club history. Yandy Diaz then worked a full count against A’s starter Mitch Spence before sending an 84 mph slider 415 feet to center for his 14th home run, giving the Rays a 4-2 lead.

Chandler Simpson and Matt Thaiss added two-out RBI singles later in the inning, insurance runs that would prove priceless.

“The offense kind of erupted there (in the sixth),” Cash said. “The add-on runs there ended up being extremely crucial; they came with two out. So, encouraged by everybody playing a role.

“You saw a glimpse of what the offense has looked like for quite some time now, happy to see it kind of break out there.”

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