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TAMPA — A violent collision with catcher Ben Rortvedt in pursuit of a foul ball during the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Yankees left Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda motionless on the ground, with blood on his face and concern among his teammates.
“Especially when you’ve got a guy that’s swinging the bat like Johnny is right now,” second baseman Brandon Lowe said, “it’s a horrifying situation to watch something like that happen.”
Once the Rays saw the blood was coming from Aranda’s nose and not a cut, their next concern was that he had hit his head on either Rortvedt’s elbow or the ground.
Aranda admitted he was scared initially — “just a little bit” — but felt he was OK. He changed out of the blood-stained jersey and said he was fine.
“Thank God it was just the collision,” he said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “I didn’t feel dizzy or anything, and I was able to continue.”
He lined out in the home half of the fifth, and struck out in the eighth.
Then, after the Rays rallied furiously for four runs in the ninth to tie, Aranda got another shot that left him and his teammates feeling quite good. He led off the 10th with a two-run, walkoff homer that gave the Rays a thrilling 10-8 win at Steinbrenner Field.
“My mentality was just to try to drive in the run so we could score there,” Aranda said. “I put the ball in play. And you guys saw what happened.”
What happened was that a team that an inning earlier was four runs and two outs from a fifth straight defeat and more gnawing questions about its inability to score instead was celebrating a much-needed victory, improving to 9-12.
“I don’t know how many must-win games you have in the month of April,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “But it was starting to feel that way, that we needed to find a way to win.”
Aside from shortstop Jose Caballero’s dazzling defensive play in the first inning, smothering a ground ball then flipping it between his legs — long snapper-style — toward second, where Lowe made a barehanded grab and threw to first to complete a double play, there hadn’t been much good for the Rays.
Shane Baz, who had been one of their best starters through three outings, had a bad day, knocked out in the fourth inning after allowing five runs on four hits and four walks, plus hitting the leadoff batter. Manny Rodriguez didn’t provide much relief, either.
The offense, which at least snapped a 17-plus-inning scoreless streak with a run in the third, seemed like it was headed toward another insufficient effort, cutting a 6-1 lead to 6-4 but getting no closer.
When the Yankees added two more off closer Pete Fairbanks in his 29-pitch appearance to make it 8-4 in the ninth, it obviously didn’t look good.
Less so when the Yankees sent closer Devin Williams to the mound, and Kameron Misner made the first out. At that point, the Yankees had a 99.4% chance of winning, according to ESPN analytics.
But the Rays proved differently.
“Really proud, happy for the group right now,” Cash said. “It’s been a frustrating handful of days right now. To be able to hang in there and do it against that team and, specifically probably, that pitcher — that’s as good a closer as you’re going to see in the game. For us to come back and tie it up, that was huge."
Historic, too. It was only the third time in their 28 seasons the Rays, per StatsPerform, won a game after trailing by four or more runs in the ninth inning (previously July 23, 2002 vs. Boston and Aug. 10, 2011 vs. Kansas City).
Caballero started the rally, racing to first after grounding a ball to third and forcing an errant throw by Oswaldo Cabrera, and ending up at second.
“The wheels get turning,” Lowe said.
Rortvedt followed with a walk. Chandler Simpson, the speedy slap hitter who had gone 0-for-4 to that point in his big-league debut, drove a ball that one-hopped the leftfield wall for a memorable first hit and RBI. “It was great,” Simpson said. “I’m glad it came at that time.”
Yandy Diaz followed with a single that scored Rortvedt, cutting the lead to 8-6, and moved Simpson to third. Pinch-runner Taylor Walls stole second, setting up Lowe, hitless in his previous nine at-bats, for the biggest at-bat of the day to that point.
“Just understanding who’s on the mound, it’s a big situation, guys tend to gravitate towards their best pitch,” Lowe said. “He’s got one of the best change-ups in the game, and just understanding that’s going to be the pitch that he goes to.”
Lowe delivered a line-drive single that scored both runners and got the Rays even. Edwin Uceta, who got Tampa Bay out of the ninth, kept the Yankees from scoring in the 10th.
Then Aranda — who had a bruise on his left cheek and a small cut on his nose — did his thing and sent the Rays home happy for a change.
“It was very important,” Aranda said. “Things haven’t been easy for us lately, and it was a very, very important win for us. So, hopefully we can go back to the winning track.”
• • •
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“Especially when you’ve got a guy that’s swinging the bat like Johnny is right now,” second baseman Brandon Lowe said, “it’s a horrifying situation to watch something like that happen.”
Once the Rays saw the blood was coming from Aranda’s nose and not a cut, their next concern was that he had hit his head on either Rortvedt’s elbow or the ground.
Aranda admitted he was scared initially — “just a little bit” — but felt he was OK. He changed out of the blood-stained jersey and said he was fine.
“Thank God it was just the collision,” he said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “I didn’t feel dizzy or anything, and I was able to continue.”
He lined out in the home half of the fifth, and struck out in the eighth.
Then, after the Rays rallied furiously for four runs in the ninth to tie, Aranda got another shot that left him and his teammates feeling quite good. He led off the 10th with a two-run, walkoff homer that gave the Rays a thrilling 10-8 win at Steinbrenner Field.
“My mentality was just to try to drive in the run so we could score there,” Aranda said. “I put the ball in play. And you guys saw what happened.”
What happened was that a team that an inning earlier was four runs and two outs from a fifth straight defeat and more gnawing questions about its inability to score instead was celebrating a much-needed victory, improving to 9-12.
“I don’t know how many must-win games you have in the month of April,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “But it was starting to feel that way, that we needed to find a way to win.”
Aside from shortstop Jose Caballero’s dazzling defensive play in the first inning, smothering a ground ball then flipping it between his legs — long snapper-style — toward second, where Lowe made a barehanded grab and threw to first to complete a double play, there hadn’t been much good for the Rays.
Shane Baz, who had been one of their best starters through three outings, had a bad day, knocked out in the fourth inning after allowing five runs on four hits and four walks, plus hitting the leadoff batter. Manny Rodriguez didn’t provide much relief, either.
The offense, which at least snapped a 17-plus-inning scoreless streak with a run in the third, seemed like it was headed toward another insufficient effort, cutting a 6-1 lead to 6-4 but getting no closer.
When the Yankees added two more off closer Pete Fairbanks in his 29-pitch appearance to make it 8-4 in the ninth, it obviously didn’t look good.
Less so when the Yankees sent closer Devin Williams to the mound, and Kameron Misner made the first out. At that point, the Yankees had a 99.4% chance of winning, according to ESPN analytics.
But the Rays proved differently.
“Really proud, happy for the group right now,” Cash said. “It’s been a frustrating handful of days right now. To be able to hang in there and do it against that team and, specifically probably, that pitcher — that’s as good a closer as you’re going to see in the game. For us to come back and tie it up, that was huge."
Historic, too. It was only the third time in their 28 seasons the Rays, per StatsPerform, won a game after trailing by four or more runs in the ninth inning (previously July 23, 2002 vs. Boston and Aug. 10, 2011 vs. Kansas City).
Caballero started the rally, racing to first after grounding a ball to third and forcing an errant throw by Oswaldo Cabrera, and ending up at second.
“The wheels get turning,” Lowe said.
Rortvedt followed with a walk. Chandler Simpson, the speedy slap hitter who had gone 0-for-4 to that point in his big-league debut, drove a ball that one-hopped the leftfield wall for a memorable first hit and RBI. “It was great,” Simpson said. “I’m glad it came at that time.”
Yandy Diaz followed with a single that scored Rortvedt, cutting the lead to 8-6, and moved Simpson to third. Pinch-runner Taylor Walls stole second, setting up Lowe, hitless in his previous nine at-bats, for the biggest at-bat of the day to that point.
“Just understanding who’s on the mound, it’s a big situation, guys tend to gravitate towards their best pitch,” Lowe said. “He’s got one of the best change-ups in the game, and just understanding that’s going to be the pitch that he goes to.”
Lowe delivered a line-drive single that scored both runners and got the Rays even. Edwin Uceta, who got Tampa Bay out of the ninth, kept the Yankees from scoring in the 10th.
Then Aranda — who had a bruise on his left cheek and a small cut on his nose — did his thing and sent the Rays home happy for a change.
“It was very important,” Aranda said. “Things haven’t been easy for us lately, and it was a very, very important win for us. So, hopefully we can go back to the winning track.”
• • •
Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Continue reading...
