TAMPA — Junior Caminero was upset with a play he didn’t make at third base Sunday that helped the Braves cut the Rays’ lead to one in the top of the sixth inning.
Then he did something about it when the Rays came to bat, hitting a three-run homer with two outs that sealed an 8-3 victory and series win.
“It feels really good, especially after the inning before,” Caminero, 21, said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “I got that bad bounce. I don’t want to commit any errors on defense. And I feel that I let my teammates down.
“So, I came back in that at-bat, and I was able to hit the home run. So, it feels really, really good.”
Caminero, who also homered Saturday, enjoyed the moment, pausing on his way to first to scream into the Rays dugout. He continued to celebrate as he rounded the bases and crossed the plate.
“Junior, he plays with a lot of emotion, and that was a big, big home run for us in the moment,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I know that he was frustrated with the (defensive) play, but he was able to work past that really quickly and get his mind right to focus on how big that at-bat was and really came through for us.”
Hot-hitting Jonathan Aranda also had a hand in the rally, a pinch-hit RBI single that got Caminero to the plate.
Baz ready — again
Shane Baz had known since shortly after his last start on Tuesday that he likely would get an extra day’s rest before pitching again.
But he prepared as he normally would to pitch Sunday (even doing a pre-start interview Saturday) and said the additional rest won’t make a difference. Plus, he’s not on an every-fifth-day schedule yet. After making his season debut April 1, he had six days off before his next start.
“We were on the same page the whole time,” Baz said. “I trust them. And it’s probably good this first month to be kind of easing into it a little more. But, yeah, I’m ready to go (Monday).”
Medical matters
Infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios (broken right ring finger) went 1-for-3 Sunday in his second rehab game for Double-A Montgomery. He will join Triple-A Durham to play for the Bulls Tuesday. His status to return to the Rays will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis after that.
No Sale zone
Cash was pleased with the Rays’ approach and performance against Braves lefty Chris Sale, who had given them fits in the past. Sunday, they scored four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks, with seven strikeouts. Most importantly, they chased Sale in the fifth after he had thrown 98 pitches.
“He’s really tough,” Cash said. “Yandy (Diaz) set the tone with the (leadoff) home run. I think he hit a changeup, and Sale went more fastball, slider. I don’t think we did him any favors of expanding out of the zone, certainly early in the at-bats, and made him work a little bit.
“We had a lot of good at-bats to drive his pitch count up. Even when you don’t score a ton of runs off of a really good pitcher, when you can get him out to that 100-pitch mark around the fifth inning, there’s got to be some good in that.”
Miscellany
The Rays announced a 12th straight sellout at Steinbrenner Field, with a capacity crowd of 10,046.. … Diaz’s leadoff homer was the 17th of his career and went to right-center. It also was his 17th opposite-field homer, both the most in Rays history. … Second baseman Coco Montes, shortstop Taylor Walls and centerfielder Jake Mangum all made key defensive plays. … The Rays won their first series against the Braves since 2021, and at home since 2020. … Monday’s game will be the first of the Rays’ 52 ...
