SAN FRANCISCO – Start calling him "Late-Night Yandy."
For the second consecutive game, Yandy Díaz delivered a clutch hit late in the game to help rally the Rays to a win, this time 2-1 over the Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday.
Twenty-four hours after his ninth-inning single proved to be the game winner in the series opener, Diaz came through again with a tying single that woke up the Rays offense.
“Bunch of impressive at-bats,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “A lot of big at-bats to work in our favor.”
That’s been Diaz’s M.O. most of the season. He owns a .390 batting average in at bats in the eighth inning or later, the highest mark in the Majors (min. 40 at-bats).
Brandon Lowe followed with his second single of the game to bring in the go-ahead run, as the Rays extended their modest winning streak to three games, their longest streak since sweeping the Royals in late June.
It was an encouraging sign for a team that has not had much late-game success this season.
Prior to winning the first two games of this series at Oracle Park, the Rays were 3-52 when trailing after eight innings.
“We’ve had 20 games in which we’ve put together good at-bats late in the game and had it not go our way,” said reliever Pete Fairbanks. “Nobody ever wants to just be treading water. You've got to be moving.”
Cash wasn’t around to see all of that. He was ejected earlier in the inning after saying something to home plate umpire Dan Iassogna from the dugout.
The offense provided the difference in the end, but Tampa Bay’s pitching was on point all night.
Starter Adrian Houser matched the Giants’ Justin Verlander, throwing five scoreless innings. In his third start with Tampa Bay since being acquired at the Trade Deadline, Houser matched his season high of six strikeouts and allowed four hits.
It was a nice bounce-back after Houser allowed nine earned runs over 10 2/3 innings in his first two starts for the Rays.
“Felt like my mechanics were in the spot that I needed them to,” said Houser, who has a 1.59 ERA in five career games against the Giants. “My direction was good, so from there it was just execution.”
Edwin Uceta (9-2) set down four batters to earn the win. Pete Fairbanks earned his 22nd save of the season. He allowed a leadoff single in the ninth then struck out the next three batters, including pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores, to seal it.
Part of the Rays problems on offense was a result of arguably Justin Verlander’s best start of the season. The 42-year-old three-time Cy Young Award winner, who has struggled in his first season with the Giants, was dominant while spinning seven scoreless innings while allowing two hits.
“He looked pretty good tonight,” Lowe said. “There’s not a lot of big leaguers to roll out two pitches, the changeup and sweeper that he had. They were both on. It’s one of the few times you’re happy to see the bullpen.”
That was exactly how it played out, too.
Once Verlander left the game, the Rays offense woke up in a hurry. Bob Seymour and Everson Pereira both hit hard outs before Nick Fortes was hit by a pitch for the third time in two games. Chandler Simpson singled through the left side, putting two on for Díaz.
From there, the Rays took over and never looked back.