Junior Caminero ended a pitching duel with one swing Tuesday, hitting a walk-off homer in the ninth as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Athletics 2-1 at Tropicana Field.
The A’s received 6 2/3 strong innings from Jack Perkins and another solid performance from their bullpen. However, the offense managed only four hits, struck out 12 times and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
Elvis Alvarado entered for the ninth with the game tied. Caminero fell behind 0-2 before driving Alvarado’s third pitch to right field for a 345-foot walk-off homer.
Perkins keeps it close
Tampa Bay scored first without producing an RBI.
Chandler Simpson doubled with one out in the second and advanced to third on a groundout. Then a passed ball by Jonah Heim allowed Simpson to score.
Perkins made sure the mistake did not grow into anything more. He struck out Jorge Mateo to finish the inning before retiring the Rays in order in the third and fourth.
Meanwhile, the Athletics struggled against Griffin Jax. Alika Williams doubled with two outs in the third, but Henry Bolte struck out to strand him.
Shea Langeliers singled in the fourth for the A’s only other hit against Jax. The Tampa Bay right-hander finished five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.
One run is all they find
The Athletics finally broke through against Ty Johnson in the sixth.
Bolte singled with one out before Jeff McNeil followed with a single, sending Bolte to third. Johnson then threw a wild pitch that allowed Bolte to score and tie the game 1-1.
However, the A’s could not capitalize further. Langeliers struck out before Cam Booser entered and retired Lawrence Butler.
That became the Athletics’ final hit of the night.
Perkins continued protecting the tie. He worked a perfect sixth before Tampa Bay threatened with two outs in the seventh.
Liam Hicks walked and Simpson singled, putting two aboard. Luis Medina replaced Perkins and needed three pitches to strike out Richie Palacios and end the threat.
Perkins finished with 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run. He walked one and struck out eight on 83 pitches.
Pitching holds until the ninth
Hogan Harris took over in the eighth and immediately faced trouble.
Mateo reached on an infield single and stole second. Yandy Díaz moved him to third on a flyout, but Harris struck out Jonathan Aranda to keep the game tied.
Meanwhile, the A’s went quietly. Kevin Kelly struck out the side in the eighth before Bryan Baker retired McNeil, Langeliers and Butler in order in the ninth.
Alvarado then entered for the bottom half. Caminero was the first batter he faced and quickly fell behind 0-2.
But Caminero turned the next pitch around, sending his 41st homer over the right-field wall to end it.
Alvarado took the loss as the Athletics fell to 61-90.
Up next
The series continues Wednesday at Tropicana Field. Brady Basso is scheduled to start for the Athletics against Tampa Bay right-hander Nick Martinez.
First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. PT.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
