Rays' Home Victory
Rays secure 5-2 victory over Nationals as Aranda's homer boosts MLB-best home record.
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The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Friday to open a 10-game homestand at Tropicana Field. Jonathan Aranda's three-run home run in the third inning flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead, and Tampa Bay never looked back. AP News reported the win moves the Rays to 42-30 on the season.
The victory was especially timely. Tampa Bay had lost 15 of its previous 22 games during a brutal stretch that included a 1-5 road trip to California. The Rays are now 25-9 at home — the best home record in Major League Baseball, according to Field Level Media.
Aranda's Homer Turns the Game Around
Washington jumped out to a 2-0 lead early. C.J. Abrams hit a solo home run in the second inning. Luis García Jr. added another solo shot in the third. The Nationals looked in control — until Aranda stepped up.
With runners on base, Aranda drove a pitch from Miles Mikolas off the left-field foul pole for a three-run homer. The Rays led 3-2. Tampa Bay Times noted that Aranda is hitting .356 against right-handed pitchers over his last 17 games, and his barrel percentage has climbed to 11.8% this season. Taylor Walls added a run-scoring single in the fourth inning — his 300th career hit — to push the lead to 4-2.
DeLuca Returns from IL, Seals the Win
Outfielder Jonny DeLuca was reinstated from the 10-day injured list — a hamstring issue — just hours before first pitch. He made an immediate impact. DeLuca hit a solo home run to left field in the eighth inning, giving Tampa Bay a 5-2 cushion.
Manager Kevin Cash said DeLuca's return was a boost on both ends of the field. "Jonny's a good overall player and he can help on both sides of the ball," Cash told NBC Sports. DeLuca himself kept it simple: "Obviously knowing where the team's at... doing what I can to help the team win," he said, per the Tampa Bay Times.
Jax and Baker Shut Down a Hot Nationals Lineup
Griffin Jax started for Tampa Bay and pitched five solid innings. He allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits, struck out 5, and walked nobody. It was his first win since April 18, according to CBS Sports. The bullpen — Steven Matz, Kevin Kelly, and Garrett Cleavinger — then threw three scoreless innings to keep Washington off the board.
Closer Bryan Baker finished it off. He retired the side in order in the ninth and earned his 19th save in 21 chances. His ERA dropped to 1.84. Washington had won five straight road series entering Friday's game, per Fubo News, but the Rays' pitching staff gave them no room to extend that streak.
Nationals Derailed by Starter's Late Scratch
Washington's night got complicated before it even began. Scheduled starter Cade Cavalli was scratched late due to food poisoning, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The Nationals were forced into a bullpen game, with P.J. Poulin opening and veteran Miles Mikolas moving into a bulk-relief role on short notice. Mikolas took the loss, falling to 2-6 after giving up all 5 Rays runs over 6 innings.
Washington-area writers pointed to Cavalli's absence as the key factor. The Nats Report called the game an "unbalanced fight," with a makeshift staff facing one of the league's best home offenses. The Nationals fall to 39-37 and remain 8 games back in the NL East, though they are still in the Wild Card hunt.
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