ST. PETERSBURG (WDAE) -- It was another two-out rally for the Tampa Bay Rays, as Austin Meadows' two-run homer off Wade Miley broke a 1-1 tie and gave Tampa Bay the series win with a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros Sunday at Tropicana Field.
Meadows ended up driving in all three runs Sunday, as his RBI single n the first scored Yandy Diaz, who singled to start the game and moved into scoring position on a single by Tommy Pham, which extended his streak of reaching base safely to 35 consecutive games.
Yonny Chirinos cruised through the first two innings, and was doing the same in the third before Jake Marisnick took a 1-2 pitch and deposited it in the first row of seats in right-center for his first home run of 2019.
Chirinos (1-0) would allow just one other hit -- also to Marisnick -- in a career-high seven innings of work. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.
Tampa Bay would retake the lead in the bottom of the third. Daniel Robertson hit a one-out single off Miley, but be erased on a fielder's choice grounder from Avisail Garcia. Meadows then took a 1-1 offering and sent it off the garage doors in center field for a two-run home run, his second of the year.
The Rays used Adam Kolarek, Chaz Roe, and Jalen Beeks to get through the eighth unscored upon, and Diego Castillo walked George Springer, but got Jose Altuve to pop up a bunt that Robertson caught in foul territory to end the game and earn his first save of 2019.
Tamps Bay wins the series taking the final three games after dropping Thursday's contest.
MONDAY'S MATCHUP
Tampa Bay Rays (3-1) vs. Colorado Rockies (2-2), 7:10 pm first pitch, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Crown Eurocars.
Rays starter: RHP Ryne Stanek (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Rockies starter: RHP Chad Bettis (5-2, 5.01 ERA in 2018)
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tuesday: Rays vs. Colorado Rockies, 7:10 pm first pitch
Wednesday: Rays vs Colorado Rockies, 1:10 pm first pitch
Thursday: OFF