ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jonathan Aranda hit a two-run single in Tampa Bay’s three-run fifth inning and the Rays defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-1 on Saturday night.
Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley also drove in a run for the Rays, who became the second AL team to reach 20 wins, joining the New York Yankees.
Tampa Bay, which has won eight of its last 10 games, took a 1-0 lead on Fraley’s RBI single in the fourth. The Rays then broke it open in the fifth when Mullins drew a bases-loaded walk and Aranda followed with his two-RBI single to make it 4-0.
Heliot Ramos’ flyout in the second inning appeared to first hit the catwalk at Tropicana Field and the Giants challenged that it should’ve been ruled a home run. But the call on the field stood and San Francisco pitcher Adrian Houser, who wasn’t in the game, and director of pitching Frank Anderson were ejected for arguing the call from the dugout.
San Francisco ended a 16-inning scoreless stretch in the sixth after Luis Arraez doubled and later scored on Rafael Devers’ two-out double to score the Giants’ only run.
The Rays added an insurance run in the eighth when Jonny DeLuca doubled, stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Patrick Bailey.
Aranda, who’s among the league leaders with 27 RBIs, had two of Tampa Bay’s nine hits. DeLuca also had two hits and scored a run.
Jesse Scholtens (3-1) earned the win in relief, allowing one run over three innings. Tampa Bay’s bullpen combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings to close it out.
Landen Roupp (5-2) took the loss after allowing four runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Giants avoided a franchise-record eighth shutout in their first 32 games. During their current road stretch, they are 0-5 and have yet to hit a home run.
Up next
LHP (4-1, 4.31 ERA) takes the mound for the Rays, while RHP Tyler Mahle (1-4, 5.87 ERA) gets the start for the Giants in the series finale Sunday.
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