The Tampa Bay Rays (39-32) defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates (29-42) 6-5 on Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field. Isaac Paredes came up with a walk-off two-run single in the ninth inning to give the Rays the victory - the second walk-off in as many nights for the Rays.
Vidal Brujan gave the Rays a two-run single in the first inning to give the home team an early lead. The Pirates tied the game in the third inning with a solo homer from Diego Castillo and a RBI single from Bryan Reynolds.
Moments after Randy Arozarena gave the Rays a 3-2 lead with a RBI double in the fifth, he was picked off second base and the Rays got no more runs in that frame. It appeared to come back to bite the Rays when Jack Suwinski hit a three-run homer in the sixth to give the Pirates a 5-3 lead.
Isaac Paredes would be the hero, first pulling the Rays within 5-4 with a solo homer in the eighth. He got the chance to bat again in the ninth, coming up with the bases loaded, and hit a two-run single that lifted the Rays to a 6-5 victory.
Corey Kluber pitched five and one-third innings allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out six and walking none. Ralph Garza Jr (1-2, 3.46) picked up the win after working a scoreless eighth and ninth inning out of the bullpen.
The Rays now look to sweep the Pirates on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Tropicana Field is scheduled for 1:40 PM on Sunday - Neil Solondz begins pregame coverage with This Week In Rays Baseball at high noon on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES