(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Rays Power Past Athletics with Back-to-Back Home Runs
Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero delivered back-to-back home runs, while Ryan Pepiot pitched a solid 6 1/3 innings, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.
Lowe’s 23rd and Caminero’s 33rd homers of the season extended the Rays’ lead to 6-1 in the seventh inning. Although the Athletics trimmed the gap to three runs later in the inning, Lowe added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to secure the win.
Pepiot (8-9) held Oakland to just one run over six innings before giving up a three-run homer to Tyler Soderstrom. Shea Langeliers also went deep for the Athletics in the fifth.
For Tampa Bay, Nick Fortes drove in two runs with a single in the second inning, while Josh Lowe added a sacrifice fly in the third. Christopher Morel launched a solo shot in the fourth after a failed double steal attempt cut short his earlier at-bat.
Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs (10-8) struggled, giving up seven hits and four runs in just 3 1/3 innings.
Pete Fairbanks closed the game in style, overcoming a leadoff double in the ninth to earn his 20th save of the season.
