Jonny DeLuca scored from first base on a single and an error in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays notched a 5-4 walk-off win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
On first base with two outs against reliever Justin Martinez (5-3), DeLuca raced to third after Brandon Lowe’s single was deflected into shallow center by second baseman Blaze Alexander.
Center fielder Jake McCarthy failed to pick up the ball barehanded, and DeLuca sprinted in to end the Rays’ three-game losing streak and the Diamondbacks’ six-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay’s Dylan Carlson was 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs and a stolen base. Josh Lowe finished 2-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and two RBIs. Junior Caminero went 2-for-3 with a walk, while Christopher Morel collected two hits and a run.
Pete Fairbanks (3-3) blew the save in the top of the ninth by surrendering Corbin Carroll’s two-run homer, but he emerged with the win.
Making his first appearance in a month, having recovered from a right knee infection, Rays starter Ryan Pepiot pitched well. He allowed two runs, both unearned, and five hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out five and walking one.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (RBI) and McCarthy (steal, run) had two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks, who had won 14 of their previous 16 games.
Arizona starter Ryne Nelson allowed one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out six without issuing a walk.
With Arizona down to its last strike with two outs in the ninth, Carroll launched his 12th homer, a two-run shot to right, to tie the game.
Carroll grounded to third base as the game’s leadoff batter, but Caminero short-hopped his throw to first base for an error.
The Diamondbacks took advantage with two unearned runs. McCarthy singled, and Joc Pederson’s single plated Carroll. Gurriel looped a two-out hit to shallow center to drive in McCarthy.
Carlson broke the Rays’ four-game homerless streaking leading off the fifth, blasting his third of the year 379 feet to right-center.
Tampa Bay grabbed finally grabbed the lead in the eighth against former Rays reliever Ryan Thompson.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Josh Lowe sliced a broken-bat single to left field that was deflected away by Gurriel, allowing Yandy Diaz and Morel to score. Two batters later, Carlson singled in Josh Lowe for a 4-2 lead.