Just when it seemed the Tampa Bay Rays were doomed to blow a multi-run lead for the second night in a row, they clawed their way back, pushing the contest into extra innings. In a dramatic finish, the Rays showed their resilience, overcoming mistakes and capitalizing on clutch performances to secure a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Rays came out swinging at Dodger Stadium, jumping on Clayton Kershaw early and staking an impressive 4-0 lead in the first inning. With Yandy Díaz grounding out to open the game, it seemed like another night of struggle for the 2024 Rays. But then Brandon Lowe doubled, setting the stage for a relentless Rays assault. Junior Caminero wasted no time in making his mark. His sharp single brought Lowe home, igniting the Rays’ offense. Christopher Morel followed with a double, capitalizing on a fielding error by Teoscar Hernández that allowed Caminero to score. By the time Jonny DeLuca’s single brought in two more runs, the Rays had Kershaw on the ropes, putting up four runs in what felt like the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, Taj Bradley was nearly untouchable through the first three innings. After only allowing a leadoff single to Shohei Ohtani, he retired the side in order in the second and third innings…