Rays Avoid Sweep with Eighth-Inning Surge
Junior Caminero's Tiebreaking Homer Propels Rays to 8-3 Victory, Avoiding Sweep Against Angels
The Tampa Bay Rays escaped Angel Stadium with an 8-3 win on Sunday, avoiding a three-game sweep by the Los Angeles Angels. Junior Caminero broke a 10-game homerless drought with a 412-foot, two-run blast in the eighth inning — the decisive blow in a five-run surge that put the game away, according to Associated Press.
The Rays improve to 40-27 on the season. The Angels, now 29-42, saw their four-game winning streak snapped. The loss was made worse by the early exit of starter Grayson Rodriguez, who left with low back tightness after just three innings.
Caminero's 412-Foot Blast Breaks Open a Tied Game
Heading into the eighth, the score was tied 3-3. Then Cedric Mullins drew a leadoff walk. Caminero stepped up and launched his 15th home run of the season — a 412-foot shot to left field off reliever Sam Bachman. It was Bachman's first home run allowed since May 5, Associated Press reported. The Rays led 5-3.
The inning wasn't over. Richie Palacios doubled, Hunter Feduccia added an RBI single, and then Victor Mesa Jr. crushed a two-run homer to right-center. Five runs, four hits, two home runs — Tampa Bay turned a tied game into an 8-3 blowout in one inning, per Daily Gazette.
Rodriguez Exits Early, Adding to Angels' Injury Woes
Grayson Rodriguez lasted just 3.0 innings, throwing 47 pitches and giving up 2 earned runs before leaving with low back tightness. The Angels acquired Rodriguez from Baltimore in November 2025, but he has a long injury history — he missed most of 2022 and 2024, and all of 2025 following elbow surgery, according to Newsday.
Outfielder Wade Meckler also left the game after crashing into the wall. If Rodriguez needs another stint on the injured list, the Angels will have to lean on a thin rotation. Analysts note that any new ailment for Rodriguez is a red flag given his track record of arm and back problems.
Rays' Bullpen Strategy Gives Lineup a Clear Edge
Tampa Bay didn't send a traditional starter to the mound. Manager Kevin Cash used Casey Legumina as an opener — a reliever who starts but hands the game off quickly. Kevin Kelly then worked two scoreless middle innings and earned the win, improving to 4-2 on the season, per Stamford Advocate.
The approach kept the Angels from seeing the same pitcher a third time, limiting their ability to adjust. Craig Kimbrel did load the bases in the eighth, but Garrett Cleavinger came in and escaped the jam. The Rays have now won four of their last six games.
Donovan Walton Homers, But Angels Can't Hold the Lead
The Angels had some bright spots. Donovan Walton hit a solo home run to right-center — his first in the majors since 2024 and just the fifth of his career. Jo Adell added a tying RBI single in the fifth inning. For a brief moment, the Angels had clawed back to 3-3, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
But the bullpen couldn't hold. Bachman gave up the Caminero homer, and the Angels' four-game win streak — the best stretch of a rough season in which they sit 13 games under .500 — came to an end. Tampa Bay heads to Dodger Stadium on Monday, with Nick Martinez (6-2, 2.43 ERA) lined up to start.
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