Lowe and Caminero Keep Swinging as Rays Crush A’s
It was another night where Tampa Bay’s bats simply refused to be quiet, and the Oakland Athletics were the unfortunate recipients. In the Rays’ 8-2 win on Wednesday, two familiar names did the heavy lifting — Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero — each going deep yet again against the A’s.
The tone of the game was set early. Rookie Oakland starter JT Ginn, making just his ninth start of the season, was greeted rather rudely by Tampa’s lineup. In the very first inning, four runs were piled on before the A’s had even gotten into the rhythm of the game. A pair of fielding errors didn’t help matters, but the Rays didn’t exactly need extra opportunities — they were already hitting everything hard.
The very next inning, Lowe launched a towering 458-foot shot to center field, a two-run homer that stretched the lead to 6-0. Ginn’s night ended quickly after just two innings of work, having allowed six runs on six hits, while the Athletics’ bullpen was forced to pick up the remaining seven frames.
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Caminero, not to be outdone by his teammate, delivered his own blast in the ninth inning — a 346-foot shot to left — keeping his season home run total well ahead of Lowe’s. That friendly competition between the two infielders has been a bright spot for Tampa all year. This was the second game of the series where both had gone yard, and their combined firepower helped the Rays secure another series victory during a grueling four-city, 12-game road trip.
On the mound for Tampa Bay, Drew Rasmussen looked every bit the Cy Young contender he’s been this season. Armed with an early cushion, he retired the first six batters he faced before allowing a solo homer to Lawrence Butler in the third. Aside from that, Rasmussen kept Oakland quiet, allowing only one more run — a Gio Urshela RBI single in the fifth. After that, the A’s bats were essentially shut down, managing just one more hit the rest of the night.
The A’s bullpen did its best to keep the game within reach. Hogan Harris tossed three solid innings with just one run allowed, followed by scoreless work from Ben Bowden, Michael Kelly, and Sean Newcomb. But Elvis Alvarado surrendered two more runs in the ninth, and by then, the contest was well out of reach.
For the Athletics, it was their 69th loss of the year, closing out the season series against Tampa Bay in a 3-3 split. For the Rays, it was another statement win — one built on early offense, dominant starting pitching, and a pair of teammates who seem determined to see who can hit the most baseballs into the seats before the season is done.
Next up, Tampa enjoys a day off before heading to San Francisco, while Oakland prepares to host the Angels in Sacramento for the final time this year.
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