Margot Hits Winning RBI Single In 10th, Rays Beat A's, 9-8
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Manuel Margot hit a game-ending single during Tampa Bay's two-run 10th inning, and the Rays beat the Oakland Athletics 9-8 on Tuesday night.
Wander Franco started the Tampa Bay 10th with an RBI double off Lou Trivino (0-1). Josh Lowe was walked intentionally with two out, and Margot then lined his clutch hit down the left-field line.
"I was just trying to be aggressive up there," Margot said through a translator. "I had a feeling they would walk him, so I was going in there prepared for that."
Billy McKinney's leadoff single off Ryan Thompson (1-0) in the 10th put Oakland ahead 8-7.
Ji-Man Choi, Brandon Lowe and Brett Phillips homered for the Rays, who improved to 4-1.
The A's got a homer from Jed Lowrie. Oakland had won two in a row.
Oakland right-hander Adam Oller and Rays righty Tommy Romero both made their major league debuts. Neither made it through two innings.
After falling behind 6-3 after three innings, Seth Brown hit an RBI single and Chad Pinder added a two-run double off Ralph Garza Jr. in the seventh as Oakland tied it at 7. Garza did work a scoreless eighth and ninth in his Rays debut.
"It's a tough loss," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. "We grinded, get back in the game, we fight and end up at the wrong end. These guys fought throughout the game, and that's a good sign for us as a ballclub,"
Oller departed with one out in the second after Choi connected for a three-run homer, capping a four-run inning. Oller was charged with five runs and five hits.
Oakland took a 3-0 lead in the first on Lowrie's homer that came after Romero walked his first two batters, Tony Kemp and Elvis Andrus, on 3-2 pitches.
Romero, who went to a full count on six of his first nine hitters, gave up three runs, two hits and five walks over 1 2/3 innings. He threw 31 of 59 pitches for strikes.
Oller allowed Lowe's leadoff homer in the first, but avoided further damage by striking out Phillips with the bases loaded and two outs.
Phillips made it 6-3 with a solo shot that stayed on an overhanging right-field catwalk in the third.
Phillips' homer occurred while 8-year-old Chloe Grimes, who is battling cancer for the second time, was being interviewed on the Rays' TV broadcast about the outfielder, who is her favorite player.
"Chloe is such an inspiration," Phillips said. "It puts perspective on my career, on my life and how I go about things."
Grimes threw a ceremonial first pitch to Phillips before the game as part of the Rays' "Tuesday's Champion" program. She gave him a number of items, including a softball, note, picture and bracelet.
"I told her she gave me her power, and she sure did," Phillips said. "I told her I would try and do something special for her, and it's just crazy."
The homer ended up on the "C" ring.
"That's cool," Phillips said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: In the second of seven straight games on artificial turf, Kotsay rested center fielder Cristian Pache, who pinch-run in the eighth. Brown started in center.
Rays: RHPs Luis Patiño (left oblique strain) and JT Chargois (left oblique tightness) were placed on the 10-day IL.
UP NEXT
Oakland right-hander Frankie Montas (0-1, 9.00 ERA) and Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (0-0, 0.00 ERA) are Wednesday night's starters. Both are coming off opening-day starts last Friday.
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