TAMPA \u2014 The Rays have been doing some big things well during their recent hot streak, such as the home runs from Junior Caminero and Brandon Lowe, and the dominant outings from just about every starter.<\/p>\n
But some days, it\u2019s the little things that win you games.<\/p>\n
That certainly was part of the story line Wednesday, when the Rays beat the Rangers 5-4 \u2014 in part due to Jonathan Aranda\u2019s hustle in racing home from third base in a four-run third.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou look at the grand scheme of the game,\u201d second baseman Brandon Lowe said, \u201cJonny having great base running there is the winning run of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was that kind of good night for the Rays, starting with the forecast rain holding off. <\/p>\n
They moved to a season-high matching three games over .500 at 32-29. They won for the 11th time in their last 14 games, 16th in 24 overall and ninth in 10 at Steinbrenner Field. They also logged a sixth straight series without a loss, now 5-0-1.<\/p>\n
Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe hits a homer off the Rangers’ Kumar Rocker during the first inning. [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]<\/p>\n
Some of the obvious things were Shane Baz giving them a solid five-inning start. The bullpen adding four zeroes, with Pete Fairbanks nailing his 11th save. Lowe\u2019s three-hit night, which included a first-inning homer. Jake Mangum making a sliding catch in the leftfield corner to end the fourth.<\/p>\n
And then there were some others.<\/p>\n
The Rays added to their lead in the third, rallying off Kumar Rocker. Doubles by Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe got them one run. Singles by Yandy Diaz and Aranda plated another, with both runners moving up on a Caminero ground out.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when the little things mattered.<\/p>\n
Mangum, who does a lot of them (including a 15-pitch at-bat later in the game), hit a slow roller toward first and flew down the line, beating Rocker \u2014 who took a toss from first baseman Jake Burger \u2014 to the base to be safe.<\/p>\n
Diaz scored to make it 4-0 and Rocker, seemingly frustrated by the Rays\u2019 quick-strike attack, made things worse for himself by keeping his head down and taking a few steps toward rightfield. <\/p>\n
Aranda, having moved up from second, saw the opportunity to dash home and steal an extra run. Third-base coach Brady Williams encouraged him to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got to third, and I\u2019m always paying attention to what the play is developing into,\u201d Aranda said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. \u201cI was in between, and when I saw that (Rocker) kept walking and then the coach told me to go, that\u2019s why I went. … <\/p>\n
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, left, congratulates second baseman Brandon Lowe after Lowe’s solo homer in the first inning. [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]Stay updated on Tampa Bay\u2019s sports scene<\/p>\n
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Explore all your options<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe kept walking with his head down. And I think maybe because he saw that we were scoring runs, his head was out of the game. And I took advantage of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Mangum was thrilled to turn around and see Aranda at home plate: \u201cGlad he was able to keep his head on a swivel and score for us. That was a big one.\u201d<\/p>\n Manager Kevin Cash applauded the hustle by both, noting the need for the Rays to add on runs at that point.<\/p>\n \u201cReally heads up by Jonny right there to not assume anything,\u201d Cash said. \u201cRocker sprinted over. Mangum is really good at getting out of the box, because his swing kind of takes him that way, and he\u2019s going to bust it on every ball in play. Impressed that Jonny didn\u2019t quit on the play or put his head down. Very heads up.\u201d<\/p>\n Brandon Lowe agreed: \u201cThat\u2019s incredible base running to not shut down. A lot of guys, it\u2019s a ground ball to first base, he beats it out and it\u2019s easy to just kind of jog your way over to third and be done with it. But Jonny was involved in the play, was watching. And as soon as I think Kumar took a couple steps, Jonny was gone. I mean, I think Jonny was three-fourths of the way home before (Rocker) even realized. So, that was a great job by Jonny to stay locked in on that play.\u201d<\/p>\n Rangers manager Bruce Bochy also saw the play as the key to the game.<\/p>\n \u201c(Rocker) made some mistakes,\u201d Bochy said \u201cOf course, the biggest one is the fundamental of covering first base. The fundamentals got us (Wednesday). That\u2019s a basic play and could have saved us two runs. He just forgot the situation and the other man on third and compounded the damage.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s the difference in the ballgame.\u201d<\/p>\n Though it was only the third inning, Cash said it was important the Rays added on.<\/p>\n \u201cEarly on, you\u2019ve got to take everything you can get,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n That proved right as Baz let the Rangers back in the game as he battled to get through the fifth inning after sailing through the first four.<\/p>\n He gave up a one-out single to Adolis Garcia, got a ground ball for the second out but then gave up a two-run homer on a Jonah Heim liner to left that Mangum made a leaping bid for. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen I jumped, I was like, \u2018I got it,\u2019 and then just hit that wall,\u201d Mangum said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if the wall stopped me from getting to it or if I didn\u2019t get high enough. … I thought it was really close.\u201d<\/p>\n Baz allowed a single then an RBI double to former Florida Gator Wyatt Langford to make it 5-3. After a walk, he finally got out of the inning.<\/p>\n \u201cThat inning was kind of weird, so I wanted to make sure I finished it,\u201d Baz said. \u201cIt was good to get out of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Manny Rodriguez, Mason Montgomery and Edwin Uceta each posted a zero. Fairbanks got two quick outs in the ninth, but a throwing error by Brandon Lowe and a Langford single got the Rangers within one. <\/p>\n Aranda\u2019s run proved to be the difference.<\/p>\n The little things do matter.<\/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>\nTexas Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford (36) leaps over Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda to reach safely in the first inning. [\u00a0LUIS SANTANA | Times\u00a0]<\/p>\n