By JOHN PERROTTO<\/p>\n
PITTSBURGH (AP) \u2014 Cedric Mullins led off the 13th inning with a two-run home run and the Tampa Bay Rays outlasted the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on a rainy Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Mullins\u2019 blast to right field off Yohan Ramirez scored automatic runner Jonny DeLuca. Mullins entered the day hitting just .129 after signing with Tampa Bay in the offseason as a free agent.<\/p>\n
Griffin Jax (1-2) pitched a scoreless 12th. Yoendrys Gomez allowed a run-scoring single to rookie Konnor Griffin in the bottom of the 13th, then struck out Joey Bart with runners on second and third to end it.<\/p>\n
Both teams scored a run in the 11th. The Rays\u2019 Taylor Walls came around from first on a wild pickoff throw by Ramirez (2-1). The Pirates countered with Griffin\u2019s run-scoring fielder\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh tied it at 5 in the eighth on rookie Nick Yorke\u2019s RBI single.<\/p>\n
The first pitch was moved up 30 minutes in hopes that the teams could beat the rain. However, play was stopped for 2 hours, 27 minutes, with the Pirates leading 4-0.<\/p>\n
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The Rays then scored five runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. Junior Caminero doubled in the first run and scored on Jonathan Aranda\u2019s single. Two batters later, pinch-hitter DeLuca lined a two-run single to center field, and Mullins followed with a go-ahead single.<\/p>\n
Pirates ace Paul Skenes pitched four scoreless innings on his bobblehead day, including escaping a bases-loaded jam with none out in the second. The 2025 NL Cy Young Award did not return after the delay.<\/p>\n
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen gave up two-run home runs to Ryan O\u2019Hearn in the first inning and Marcell Ozuna in the fourth, but the Pirates couldn\u2019t hold the 4-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/p>\n
Rays LHP Shane McClanahan (1-1, 3.95 ERA) was set to face RHP Mitch Keller (1-1, 2.86) on Sunday in the series finale.<\/p>\n
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