Rays Rally Past Diamondbacks with Extra-Inning Drama

PHOENIX, Arizona — The Tampa Bay Rays rallied to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-4 in a thrilling extra-inning matchup on Thursday night. Christopher Morel’s two-run homer in the 10th inning secured the victory for the Rays, who managed to come back from a late deficit.

Arizona held a 4-3 lead late in the game until Yandy Díaz tied it with a single off Ryne Nelson in the ninth inning. Edwin Uceta (2-1) later induced an inning-ending double play to keep the Rays in the game. Junior Caminero’s run-scoring double in the 10th put Tampa Bay ahead, and Morel followed with his third homer to push the score to 7-4. Pete Fairbanks handled the final innings for the Rays, earning his fourth save despite walking a batter.

The Diamondbacks got off to a strong start, with Tim Tawa hitting a solo home run to give them an early advantage. Starter Corbin Burnes, who was perfect until the fourth inning, struggled against the Rays afterward. He allowed three runs, one of which was earned, and struck out eight over his time on the mound before being replaced in the sixth.

“We had some good hits early, but we let it slip away in the later innings,” said Burnes. “It’s frustrating to lose a lead like that.”

The Rays managed to capitalize on defensive errors by Arizona, committing three throughout the game, which is surprising for a team known for its solid defense. Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen allowed four runs over five innings but managed to strike out five batters.

Looking ahead, the Rays will face the San Diego Padres in a three-game series starting Friday, with Shane Baz (2-0, 3.22 ERA) taking the mound for Tampa Bay. The Diamondbacks will head to Atlanta for a series opener against the Braves, with Zac Gallen (1-3, 5.60 ERA) slated to pitch.