The Tampa Bay Rays (4-1) defeated the Oakland Athletics (2-3) 9-8 in ten innings on Tuesday night.
It was the major league debut for both starting pitchers, and neither of them made it through two innings. Jed Lowrie hit a three-run home run off Rays starter Tommy Romero in the first inning before Romero was pulled in the second. However, the Rays were able to answer with five runs off As starter Adam Oller before he was pulled in the second inning as well, and the bullpen day was on.
The Rays built leads of 6-3 and 7-4 with home runs from Brandon Lowe, Ji-Man Choi and Brett Phillips. The Athletics answered with a three-run bottom of the seventh to tie the game 7-7, which would remain the score after nine innings.
In the top of the tenth inning, Billy McKinney drove in the ghost runner with a base hit. Wander Franco doubled to lead off the bottom of the tenth to drive in the lead runner, then it was Manuel Margot driving in Franco with a walk-off single that lifted the Rays to a 10-9 win.
Ryan Thompson (1-0, 0.00) got the win out of the bullpen after working the top of the tenth inning. Lou Trivino (0-1, 10.80) took the loss after allowing the game-winning hit in the bottom of the tenth.
Wander Franco added two more hits for the Rays - through five game, he is now batting .550 (11-for-20) to start the season.
The Rays and As meet in the third game of the four game series on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. Shane McClanahan, who got the Opening Day start for Tampa Bay, is expected to get the ball for Tampa Bay and face Frankie Montas. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM - pregame coverage begins at 5:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES