ST. PETERSBURG (620 WDAE) -- The Tampa Bay Rays spotted the Oakland Athletics a 3-0 fifth-inning lead before scoring five of the final six runs in the game to win the finale of this four-game series 5-4 and finish off a 5-2 homestand.
Oakland got out to their lead thanks to the bat of former Ray Stephen Vogt, who singled in a pair in the top of the second off Tampa Bay starter , and made it 3-0 in the fourth with an RBI double off Archer.
However, former Rays farmhand Jesse Hahn gave up five consecutive hits with two out, including four extra-base hits and RBI hits from Mallex Smith (a double), Corey Dickerson (also a double), and Evan Longoria (a single) to tie the game in the fifth.
Oakland regained the lead in the sixth, when Steven Souza Jr. misplayed a Jed Lowrie flare into a triple, and Khris Davis chopped a single over the head of Tim Beckham for a 4-3 advantage.
Colby Rasmus immediately tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, blasting his ninth homer of the year off Liam Hendriks, and against Daniel Coulombe in the seventh, Smith started by bunting his way aboard and getting to third on the pitcher's throwing error, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Dickerson.
Chase Whitley, who took over for Archer with a pair on and nobody out in the seventh and stranded both runners, picked up the win, his second of the year. Jumbo Diaz allowed a single by Davis in the eighth in his first appearance since being activated off the 10-day disabled list, and Alex Colome loaded the bases in the ninth, but got Lowrie to pop out and struck out Davis to eend the game and earn his 18th save.
The win improves the Rays record to 34-32 on the year.
Tampa Bay will have Monday off before starting a two-game series in Toronto. Jake Odorizzi will get the start, while the Blue Jays will go with Marco Estrada. First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 7:07, with coverage on WDAE starting at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Sykes Lakeland.
Photo: Getty Images