TAMPA — All the Rays needed to keep rolling Thursday was the first walkoff two-run infield single in the majors since 2009.
Taylor Walls had the honors, with a bases-loaded ground ball to second baseman Marcus Semien scoring Jonathan Aranda with the tying run and Junior Caminero — who made a mad dash from second and slid in headfirst ahead of Semien’s throw —home with the winner as the Rays beat the Rangers 4-3.
The Rays improved to 33-29, moving four games over .500 for the first time since 2023 as they won for the 12th time in 15 games.
Down 3-1 and held to three hits entering the ninth, they staged an impressive rally off lefty reliever Robert Garcia.
Yandy Diaz slapped a one-out single (and was later replaced by pinch-runner Jose Caballero). Aranda drew a walk. Caminero, who had already homered on his bobblehed night, laced a single up the middle to score Caballero.
After Jake Mangum flew out, Christopher Morel hit a grounder to third the Rangers couldn’t make a play on. Then Walls sent them all home happy, with the slow grounder to the right side that Semien couldn’t do anything with.
“I knew that (Walls) was going to beat that pretty easily,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I just didn’t just anticipate what was coming next.”
No one really did. Certainly not the Rays in the clubhouse already, like starter Ryan Pepiot, who had worked six solid innings.
“Wallsy comes up there and hits the ball and then Semien goes and you see the pitcher not get there and then I’m like, ‘Oh, we tied it up. Oh my gosh,’” Pepiot said.
“And then you just see Cami just coming around the corner, like, ‘Oh my God.’ And then we just went berserk. It was wild stuff.”
The Rays started the game in a good way, with a solo homer in the second inning by Caminero.
But Pepiot, who had seemed to be past his home run issues, allowed a pair that gave the Rangers the lead.
Jake Burger took Pepiot deep with one out in the third to tie the game, ending his career-best 17 ⅔-inning scoreless streak. Pepiot then allowed another to the slumping Semien leading off the fifth.
Pepiot went through a stretch where he had allowed eight homers over four games but then yielded only two over his last seven.
Reliever Kevin Kelly gave up another homer to Semien, who came into the game with only four on the season, with two outs in the seventh.
But the Rays were just getting started.
The last walkoff two-run infield single, by the way? Colorado’s Seth Smith on Sept. 9, 2009, vs. Cincinnati.
Friday: vs. Marlins
1:10, Steinbrenner Field
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Pitchers: Rays — RH Zack Littell (5-5, 3.86); Marlins — RH Edward Cabrera (2-1, 4.14)
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM, 106.7-FM (Spanish)
Info: raysbaseball.com
On deck
Saturday: vs. Marlins, 4:10. RH Taj Bradley (4-5, 3.95); Marlins, LH Ryan Weathers (1-1, 2.49)
Sunday: vs. Marlins, 12:10. Rays, RH Drew Rasmussen (5-4, 2.14); RH TBA
Monday: at Red Sox, 7:10. Rays. RH Shane Baz (5-3, 4.96); Red Sox, TBA
Tuesday: at Red Sox, 7:10. Rays, RH Ryan Pepiot (3-5. 3.20); Red Sox, TBA
Wednesday: at Red Sox, 7:10. Rays, RH Zack Littell (5-5, 3.86); Red Sox, TBA
Thursday: Off