Willy Adames, Brandon Lowe step up in Rays' 5-3 win over Athletics
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) —Willy Adames homered and threw out a runner at home, and the Tampa Bay Rays snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.
Adames finished with three hits. Second baseman Brandon Lowe doubled twice and made a stellar defensive play as Tampa Bay won for the first time on its 10-game road trip. The win came one night after closer Diego Castillo allowed four runs in the ninth and blew a save for the first time this season.
Matt Olson and Ramón Laureano homered for Oakland. Marcus Semien was 0 for 5, ending his career-high 17-game hitting streak.
Earlier Friday, the A's lost their top pitcher, Frankie Montas, to an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball after the right-hander tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
Adames hit his seventh home run of the season off Wei-Chung Wang in the sixth, then singled and scored in the ninth. All seven of Adames homers have come on the road.
Austin Pruitt (1-0), the third of seven Tampa Bay pitchers, retired nine batters and earned the win. Emilio Pagán pitched the ninth for his fourth save.
Lowe's defense was big for Tampa Bay. He started a pair of double plays in the fourth and fifth, then made a diving stop and strong throw to get Stephen Piscotty to end the sixth.
The Rays made two other defensive gems.
Right fielder Guillermo Heredia threw out Matt Olson in the fifth when Olson attempted to go to second on a single. In the sixth, Khris Davis tried to score from first on Jurickson Profar's double and was thrown out at the plate on a strong relay throw from shortstop Adames.
A's starter Tanner Anderson (0-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in four innings.
NOT A BAD OPENING
Andrew Kittredge became the latest Rays pitcher to be used as an opener, and the right-hander got passing grades in his debut in the role this season. Kittredge allowed two hits in two innings, walked one and struck out three.
BOB'S BACK
A's manager Bob Melvin returned to the Coliseum after missing Thursday's comeback win because of a sore neck. Melvin received injections to relieve some of the pain he's been experiencing since training camp.
MAKING HISTORY
Oakland reliever Joakim Soria made his 673rd career appearance when he entered in the eighth. That ties Dennys Reyes for most games by a Mexican-born pitcher.
TRAINERS ROOM
Athletics: LHP Sean Manaea pitched a second simulated game in Arizona on Thursday and will likely begin a rehab assignment soon.
UP NEXT
Oakland righty Mike Fiers (7-3, 4.28 ERA) pitches Saturday and is looking to extend an unbeaten streak that began May 7 when he no-hit the Cincinnati Reds. Fiers beat the Rays on June 11. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash has not named a starter.
