Oakland led by four runs with six outs to go. Then the eighth inning happened. Tampa Bay scored eight times in the frame, wiping out the deficit and stunning the Athletics 10-6 at Sutter Health Park.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 1 |
| OAK | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
Jacob Lopez had given the Athletics exactly what they needed for seven innings, allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk across 7.0 innings. He departed with a 6-2 lead intact, and for most of the night it looked like enough. The Athletics had built that cushion with Tyler Soderstrom's RBI double and a stolen-home run in the first, a Zack Gelof homer in the fifth, and three more runs in the seventh on doubles from Gelof and Jacob Wilson plus a Jeff McNeil sacrifice fly.
The eighth inning broke the game open for Tampa Bay. Junior Caminero started it with a three-run homer to left center that brought home Yandy Diaz and Aranda, cutting the deficit to 5-6. Chandler Simpson's single then scored Vilade to tie it at 6-6. Taylor Walls delivered the go-ahead blow, singling to right to score both DeLuca and Simpson and putting Tampa Bay ahead 8-6 -- the play that gave the Rays a lead they would not relinquish. Diaz added a sacrifice fly to score Mullins, and Jonathan Aranda capped the rally with a single that brought home Walls, making it 10-6.
The Athletics' bullpen absorbed the damage, with three relievers combining for 2.0 innings and allowing 8 runs. Freddy Peralta had kept Oakland afloat for Tampa Bay's part of the game, working 6.0 innings and allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts, but the Rays' relievers settled in behind him, holding Oakland scoreless over the final innings. Chris Roycroft picked up the win despite allowing 3 runs in 1.0 inning, his first career victory, while Jose Suarez took the loss after allowing 4 runs in just 0.1 innings.
Diaz finished 3-for-4 with a homer, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored, and sits at 491 career RBI, 500 within reach. The win extended Tampa Bay's winning streak to seven games, improving the Rays to 72-46 and holding the top spot in their division. Oakland fell to 47-72.