TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Taylor Walls hit a game-ending sacrifice fly and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Tuesday night.
The Rays trailed 2-0 until Jonathan Aranda’s two-run single in the eighth inning tied the score.
Christian Morel then led off the ninth with a walk against Kaleb Ort (1-1) and advanced to third on pinch-hitter Brandon Lowe’s double to left-center. After Josh Lowe popped out, Walls hit a fly ball to drive in Morel to give the Rays their 12th win in 30 games at Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home this season.
Manuel Rodriguez (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win.
Astros left-hander Brandon Walter, making his first major league start, pitched five strong innings in his Houston debut.
Jake Meyers hit an RBI double in the second for the Astros, and Isaac Paredes had a solo homer in the third against his former team to make it 2-0.
Rays starter Zach Littell allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out six.
Key moment
With the Rays trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth, with one out and runners on first and second, Kameron Misner and Jose Caballero pulled off a double steal to set up Aranda’s tying single to right field.
Key stat
Starting for the first time after making nine relief appearances for Bostohn in 2023, Walter gave up three hits and struck out five.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (6–2, 1.43 ERA) goes against Rays RHP Taj Bradley (3–3, 4.80 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.
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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB
Kristie Ackert, The Associated Press
