OAKLAND — Jose Siri hit a late go-ahead homer for the second straight game, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Oakland Athletics 4-2 on Wednesday night.
Siri’s 423-foot, two-run blast to left in the seventh inning broke a 2-2 tie. The center fielder had been hitless in 21 at-bats prior to driving in the lone run of the game in the Rays’ 1-0 win on Tuesday with an eighth-inning solo homer. He went 2 for 4 on Wednesday.
The Rays have won five of six, while the A’s lost consecutive games for just the second time since the All-Star break.
Rays starter Ryan Pepiot (7-5), who celebrated his 27th birthday on Wednesday, allowed two runs on three hits in six innings, making his second start since returning from a stint on the injured list following a spider bite and knee infection that led to a hospital stay. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven straight starts.
Manuel Rodríguez recorded his first save of the season and Drew Rasmussen struck out Oakland’s Brent Rooker with the bases loaded and two out in the seventh.
Tampa Bay scored twice in the fifth, taking the lead on a two-out RBI double by Yandy Díaz. Díaz knocked in Jonny DeLuca, who stole second after reaching on a fielder’s choice groundout that tied the game. José Caballero and Siri led off the inning with hits.
JJ Bleday gave the A’s an early lead with a solo homer in the first, and Rooker hit an RBI single in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2.
Oakland Athletics’ JJ Bleday (33) can’t complete a diving catch on a single by Tampa Bay Rays’ Jose Siri (22) in the fifth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Max Schuemann (12) fields a grounder to throw out Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz (2) in the third inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mitch Spence (40) delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ JJ Bleday (33) connects a solo homer against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ JJ Bleday (33) rounds the bases after hitting a solo homer off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ JJ Bleday (33) heads home after hitting a solo homer off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics pitching coach Scott Emerson, middle, talks with Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mitch Spence (40) and Oakland Athletics catcher Kyle McCann (52) after an RBI double by Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz (2) in the fifth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Lawrence Butler (4) dives at home to score on a single by Oakland Athletics’ Brent Rooker (25) against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ JJ Bleday (33)
is hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics reliever J.T. Ginn (70) delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays on his MLB debut in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics reliever J.T. Ginn (70) celebrates the last strikeout against the Tampa Bay Rays on his MLB debut in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics reliever J.T. Ginn (70) celebrates the last strikeout against Tampa Bay Rays’ Jose Caballero (7) in his MLB debut in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay argues as he is ejected after the umpires reviewed a play in which Oakland Athletics’ Miguel Andujar (22) was called out at first against the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
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Oakland Athletics’ JJ Bleday (33) can’t complete a diving catch on a single by Tampa Bay Rays’ Jose Siri (22) in the fifth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A’s starter Mitch Spence (7-9) allowed four runs in seven innings and had a career-high 10 strikeouts before an announced crowd of 10,339 at the Coliseum.
A’s rookie right-hander J.T. Ginn, who was acquired from the Mets two years ago in the Chris Bassitt deal, made his major league debut by throwing two scoreless innings. He struck out the side in the eighth inning.
Both managers were ejected from the game for arguing separate plays — the Rays’ Kevin Cash in the seventh after home plate umpire Brock Ballou ruled that Caballero leaned into a pitch that hit him, and Mark Kotsay of the A’s in the eighth after Miguel Andujar was picked off first.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics IF Tyler Soderstrom (wrist), who is on the 10-day injured list, played catch on Wednesday. … IF Jacob Wilson (hamstring) played seven innings at shortstop at Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
RHP Osvaldo Bido (4-3, 3.40 ERA) pitches for the A’s to wrap up the four-game series Thursday with LHP Jeffrey Springs (1-1, 3.86 ERA) taking the mound for the Rays.
