Rays 6, D-Backs 1: Big first inning sets the tone as Rays get back to .500

Springs was solid as Lowe pairing drives in three runs

Having won a wild series opener on Friday night, the Rays looked to take the series Saturday afternoon with Jeffrey Springs on the bump opposite D-Backs’ starter Zac Gallen.

After a 1-2-3 top half of the first for Springs, the Rays took an early 1-0 lead courtesy of a one-out walk to Brandon Lowe and a two-out, RBI triple off the bat of Josh Lowe. It was Lowe’s first triple of the season. Caminero walked and quickly stole second. As the Rays rookie took second, Lowe streaked home to give the Rays a 2-0 lead.

The D-Backs again went down in order and the Rays took full advantage in the bottom half of the inning. Walls and Jackson hit back to back singles and then pulled off the Rays second double steal of the game to put runners in scoring position for Yandy Diaz.

Diaz delivered with a two-RBI single and extended the Rays lead to 4-0.

The score would remain 4-0 until the top of the fifth when Jose Herrera singled home Eugenio Suarez with two outs to cut the Rays lead to 4-1. Springs would complete the inning, but his night was over. Since returning from the IL, this was his best start. He earned the win, his first of the season, and tossed five strong innings. He walked one, struck out seven and allowed four hits and just the one run.

In the bottom of the sixth, Brandon Lowe hit a towering two-run blast down the right field line to extend the Rays’ lead to 6-1. Yandy Diaz scored following his ground-rule double. The blast was Lowe’s 15th of the year.

The 6-1 score would hold as the Rays bullpen remained dominant. Uceta, Cleavinger, Rodríguez, and Lovelady combined to throw four scoreless, allowing just one hit and one walk. they struck out three. Lovelady took credit for the save.

Gallen (9-6) took the loss but managed to eat five innings in the process after a shaky start.

Caminero (2), Diaz (3), Walls (2), Jackson (2), and Brandon Lowe (2) all tallied multiple hits. Across his first four games at the big league level in 2024, Caminero is now 5 for 13 at the plate with a trio of both walks and strikeouts.

With the win, the Rays moved back to .500 and can sweep the previously red-hot Diamondbacks. Tyler Alexander will make a spot start as Littell hits the shelf with shoulder fatigue. The rest of the rotation will take an extra day of rest.