TAMPA \u2014 The names on the lineup card may not jump out to many around the game except the Rays\u2019 own fans. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s getting harder and harder to ignore what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Starter Ryan Pepiot says of the Rays’ recent run of success: “Hopefully the league\u2019s taking notice.” [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Later, they put on a power show, with Danny Jansen, Junior Caminero and Christopher Morel hitting solo homers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a resilient bunch, tons of athletes, guys that could put the ball over the wall, run, hit and run, bunt,\u201d Jansen said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like a full offense in that way. We\u2019ll try to manufacture runs any way we can, and never out of it. Never feel like we\u2019re out of it. Ever.\u2019’<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019ve ever done that (or more runs) in back-to-back games in franchise history.<\/p>\n
Christopher Morel celebrates after hitting a home run in the seventh inning. It was a 113-mph blast that carried 434 feet. [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]<\/p>\n
\u201cTampa (Bay) is hot right now and playing a good brand of ball,\u201d Tigers catcher Jake Rogers said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s expected at this point,\u201d Pepiot said. \u201cBut it\u2019s 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\u2019s pass the baton to the next guy. <\/p>\n
\u201cHitting is contagious. A couple fall through, and then next thing you know, we hit through the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n
The four-run first inning, in which they sent all nine batters to the plate was a good example \u2014 and they did most of their work with two outs.<\/p>\n
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Explore all your options<\/a><\/p>\n Between leadoff man Yandy Diaz\u2019s flyout and Junior Caminero\u2019s strikeout, Brandon Lowe swung at strike three but the ball eluded Rogers so Lowe reached.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of good at-bats,\u201d manager Kevin Cash said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got the bases loaded, and then J-Lowe\u2019s walk \u2014 to fall behind the way he did, turn the at-bat over and end up walking \u2014 (then) the hit by pitch and then Wallsy comes up and smokes the ball to center.”<\/p>\n The relentlessness continued.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n After that, the Rays switched to the power offense.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Diaz and Brandon Lowe are veterans with some acclaim, and Caminero got attention in the prospects world and for his Dominican winter league performance.<\/p>\n But the torrid month has allowed some of the other Rays hitters to introduce themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I think everyone\u2019s starting to realize who Jonathan Aranda is,\u201d Pepiot said. \u201cObviously Junior was a very highly-touted prospect, and he\u2019s proven that \u2014 he\u2019s swinging the bat really well, he\u2019s playing defense, he\u2019s putting in the work. He\u2019s putting his head down, grinding. <\/p>\n \u201cEveryone\u2019s 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? \u2018\u2019<\/p>\n Cash said he hopes they all \u201cget recognized for what they\u2019re doing,\u201d But more importantly, \u201chope they continue doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n What they are doing, combined with a strong starting rotation and dynamic bullpen, is definitely working.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s special,\u201d Pepiot said. \u201cIt\u2019s a great group of guys. It\u2019s 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\u2019re on. <\/p>\n \u201cHopefully the league\u2019s taking notice. Because we\u2019re pitching it, we\u2019re playing defense and we\u2019re hitting the ball and it\u2019s a different way we\u2019re winning every single night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter<\/a> to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.<\/p>\n Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast<\/a> to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.<\/p>\n Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\nJonathan Aranda hits a double in the first inning, when the Rays scored four runs. [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]<\/p>\n
Shortstop Jos\u00e9 Caballero and the Rays have averaged a majors-most 6.2 runs per game during their 22-8 run. [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]<\/p>\n