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OAKLAND, Calif. — The Tampa Bay Rays became the first team to 50 wins, and for the Oakland Athletics splitting a four-game series against baseball’s best spelled success.
At 50-22, the Rays reached 50 wins in the fewest games in franchise history and it’s tied for the second-fastest any team has reached 50 wins in the past 20 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Luke Raley hit a go-ahead solo homer with one out in the eighth, Manuel Margot connected earlier, and the Rays beat the 19-win A’s 4-3 on Thursday.
Rays rookie top prospect Taj Bradley struck out the first six A’s batters in order and a career-high 11 in all, surrendering Seth Brown’s tying two-run single in the fifth.
Sure, the Rays are happy with their win total at this stage.
“That sounds really good, I’m really excited to get out of here, though,” manager Kevin Cash said.
The A’s loaded the bases against former Oakland pitcher Jake Diekman in the seventh only for the defense to deliver a brilliant play. Seth Brown hit a hard grounder — a 107.9 mph exit velocity — that second baseman Taylor Walls fielded and fired home to save a run and then catcher Francisco Mejia threw to first for the inning-ending double play.
“Honestly, I knew I had time because of the force out at home so I kind of took a half-step back before that,” Walls said. “That ball was smoked so I didn’t really have time to think about anything. But after I realized I gloved it clean I knew that it was a chance for a double play.”
Robert Stephenson (1-0) came in for Diekman to get the final out of the seventh. Right-hander Pete Fairbanks returned from the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left hip and finished for his sixth save.
Fairbanks is nursing a black eye on the right side after dunking while playing basketball in the family pool with 3-year-old son Isak and hitting the…
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