ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Isaac Paredes homered and drove in four runs as the MLB-best Tampa Bay Rays took two of three from the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers with a wild 11–10 victory on Sunday, May 28.
Luke Raley beat out an infield single leading off the seventh and scored on Wander Franco’s grounder, giving the Rays an 11–10 advantage.
“For all the offense for both sides, it was a hustle play that decided the ballgame,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
Chris Taylor homered twice, and Max Muncy, Trayce Thompson and J.D. Martinez also connected for the Dodgers. Victor González (1–2) was charged with the loss.
Muncy left in the third with a left hamstring cramp, which occurred running the bases. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he will have an MRI exam on Monday.
“In order to make it just a day-to-day thing instead of a month thing, we just tried to get ahead of if,” said Muncy, who has 17 homers on the season. “I don’t think it is anything serious.”
Thompson, who entered in an 0–for–39 slide, had three hits and walked once.
Los Angeles slugger Freddie Freeman went 2 for 5 with two doubles to extend his hitting streak to 17 games. He is hitting .441 (30 for 68) over the stretch.
“It’s a slugfest we lost by one run,” Freeman said. “I liked the fact that we kept coming back after they kept scoring runs.”
The Rays are 26–6 at Tropicana Field for baseball’s best home start since the 2008 Boston Red Sox had an identical record.
“I think we’re in a pretty high level right now,” Paredes said. “We’re obviously sitting in first place and that feels really good. And we’re playing with a lot of competitive teams and hopefully we’ll keep that going.”
Tampa Bay left-hander Josh Fleming gave up 10 runs—eight earned—and 12 hits in six innings. He surrendered five homers.
Dodgers righty Gavin Stone allowed seven runs and 10 hits in two innings. He has a 14.40 ERA over his first three career starts, and his rotation status will be reviewed.
“Given how today went, I think it is prudent to just reassess and just make sure whether we do is best for Gavin and best for us,” Roberts said.
The Los Angeles rotation is without Walker Buehler (Tommy John surgery), Dustin May (right forearm) and Julio Urías (left hamstring).
After Thompson hit a fifth-inning solo drive, Martinez and Taylor homered over a three-pitch stretch in the sixth to tie it at 10.
Jalen Beeks (2–2) worked a scoreless seventh before Jason Adam got six outs for his seventh save.
Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks was warming up in the bullpen but left for the dugout after his hip locked up.
“I don’t have much more,” Cash said. “We saw him walk very gingerly from the bullpen and he was in some pain.”
Yandy Díaz hit a third-inning RBI single before Paredes homered in a two-run fourth to put Tampa Bay up 10–7.
Taylor and Muncy went deep on back-to back pitches in a three-run second. Thompson got his first hit since April 17 with an RBI single to make it 3–1.
