Overview
- The Rays scored five runs in the eighth inning on Sunday to turn a 3-3 game into an 8-3 win, with Junior Caminero hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer and Victor Mesa Jr. adding a two-run shot.
- Kevin Kelly provided stability with two scoreless relief innings before the eighth, and Garrett Cleavinger stranded the bases loaded after Craig Kimbrel issued two walks and hit a batter in a shaky appearance.
- Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez left in the third inning with reported low back tightness after 47 pitches, and outfielder Wade Meckler exited in the fifth after crashing into the wall while trying to catch a homer.
- The comeback followed Saturday’s 8-0 loss that exposed Tampa Bay’s ongoing early-relief problems and reinforced concerns about the Rays’ bullpen depth heading into the trade-deadline period.
- The result shifts immediate decisions for both teams: the Rays must manage persistent relief volatility while the Angels will await Rodriguez’s status and adjust their rotation plans for the short term.