Tampa Bay Rays vs Oakland Athletics Box Score on Jul 19, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 19, 2017

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Sonny Gray allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings and won his third straight game as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 on Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum in the finale of their three-game series.

Gray, who has been the subject of trade rumors for weeks, allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked two. He left the game to a standing ovation in what might have been his final career start at home for the A's.

Gray (6-4) had his fourth straight quality start and won for the fourth time in his past five outings.

Rays rookie right-hander Jake Faria (4-1) entered the game with a four-game winning streak and a streak of seven quality starts to begin his major-league career. Both streaks ended with a thud. Faria allowed four runs -- all in the fifth inning -- on six hits over five innings. He walked four, struck out four and had two wild pitches.

Faria allowed a combined 10 earned runs in his first seven starts.

Tampa Bay won two of three games in the series, but the A's avoided being swept by the Rays in Oakland for the first time ever in 27 series.

Rays right fielder Steven Souza Jr., who has 20 home runs and 60 RBIs, strained his left hip in the top of the first inning while sliding into second base on a failed steal attempt and was replaced by Shane Peterson. X-rays were negative, and Souza will be evaluated further when the Rays return to Florida.

Matt Joyce hit his 12th home run of the season for Oakland, a solo shot in the eighth inning. Rajai Davis went 2-for-4 with a double, drove in a run and scored once for the A's. Yonder Alonso went 2-for-2 with an RBI, walked and was hit by a pitch in four plate appearances. Jed Lowrie had two hits, including a double.

Evan Longoria, Logan Morrison and Brad Miller each had two hits and doubled for the Rays.

The Rays broke through to score two runs off Gray in the fourth inning and take a 2-0 lead. Longoria led off with an infield single and went to third when Morrison lined a single to right.

Wilson Ramos singled off the right-center field fence, driving in Longoria and moving Morrison to third. Morrison scored to make it 2-0 when Miller grounded into a force out.

Oakland scored four runs in the fifth inning to grab a 4-2 lead. Bruce Maxwell had a leadoff walk and moved to second with one out when Faria walked Jaycob Brugman on four pitches.

Davis brought Maxwell home on a ground-rule double to right, and Joyce drove in the speedy Brugman with a sacrifice fly to shallow center. Davis scored on a wild pitch, giving the A's a 3-2 lead. Marcus Semien singled sharply to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Alonso's single to center.

The A's extended their lead to 5-2 in the sixth with a run off rookie reliever Andrew Kittredge. Lowrie led off with a double down the right field line, moved to third on Matt Chapman's one-out single and scored on Brugman's bunt single.

NOTES: Rays LHP Blake Snell, who lasted only four innings on Tuesday night against the A's, will make his next scheduled start, manager Kevin Cash said. "I am confident that he will get it figured out," Cash said. ... Rays INF Rickie Weeks Jr. (right shoulder impingement) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday night. ... A's RHP Kendall Graveman (strained right shoulder) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville and gave up four runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings. He threw 46 pitches. ... A's INF/OF Chad Pinder (strained left hamstring) started at shortstop for Triple-A Nashville and went 0-for-2 with a walk in his second rehab game. Pinder went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts Tuesday as the Sounds' designated hitter. ... A's RHP Jharel Cotton (right thumb blister) allowed four runs on four hits, including a home run, over 3 1/3 innings in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Nashville. Cotton struck out six, walked two and threw 65 pitches.