Rays need just one run to knock off Athletics

Aug 21, 2024, 6:45 AM | Updated: 7:01 am

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 20: Jose Siri #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a solo home run in the bo...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Sactown Sports

Shane Baz scattered three hits over 7 2/3 shutout innings and Jose Siri homered to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 1-0 victory over the host Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.

It was the first win since July 3, 2022, for Baz (1-2), who missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2022. He was making his eighth start of 2024 on Tuesday.

Baz walked three and struck out four in a game that lasted just 1 hour, 54 minutes. Edwin Uceta retired all four batters he faced in relief of Baz to pick up the first save of his career.

“Man, I wish I could get that pitch back.”

Joey Estes laments giving up the only run in a narrow one-run loss pic.twitter.com/7CzGMkWY1Z

— A’s on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) August 21, 2024

Athletics vs. Rays recap

Joey Estes (5-6) was the hard-luck loser for Oakland, allowing just one run on three hits over 7 2/3 innings. Estes walked one and struck out five.

Tampa Bay, which managed just two hits in a 3-0 loss to the A’s in the series opener on Monday, only had two hits — a single and a double, both by Yandy Diaz — through the first seven innings on Tuesday.

Following his one-out double in the sixth, Diaz advanced to third on a groundout by Brandon Lowe, but Estes got out of the jam by striking out Christopher Morel.

Baz was equally as effective, allowing just two singles over the first seven innings. Miguel Andujar got the first, a leadoff hit in the second, but he was quickly erased on a double-play ball by Shea Langeliers.

Langeliers got the other single, a two-out infield chopper that went off the top of third baseman Junior Caminero’s glove in the seventh.

Siri ended an 0-for-21 slump in the eighth when he slammed an 0-1 Estes fastball 415 feet to center. It was his 15th home run of the season and gave Tampa Bay its fourth win in the past five games.

–Field Level Media