On a day when the organization unveiled plans for a new ballpark nearby, the Tampa Bay Rays showed their dome is still a good home for right now.
Osleivis Basabe lashed a tiebreaking two-run double to headline a four-run eighth inning, and the Rays improved their majors-best home record on Tuesday night by beating the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 in St. Petersburg, Fla.
With the bases loaded against reliever Aaron Loup (2-3), Basabe smoked a one-out liner over center fielder Brett Phillips to break a 2-2 tie. Rene Pinto followed with a single for two more runs.
Earlier in the day before the Rays (93-59) moved to 51-25 at home, the club announced a 30,000-seat, fixed-roof stadium to be built adjacent to Tropicana Field.
Still needing public approval, the plan is to move into the $1.3 billion park in time for Opening Day 2028.
Randy Arozarena slugged a two-run homer, his 23rd home run of the season, to score Yandy Diaz in the first. Diaz reached base four times, going 3-for-4 with a double, a run and a walk.
Over five innings, Rays starter Taj Bradley allowed one run on three hits while fanning six and walking one.
Tampa Bay won for the 12th time in its past 15 home games against Los Angeles.
Logan O’Hoppe and Zach Neto hit solo homers for the Angels (68-83), who lost their sixth straight game.
Rookie Nolan Schanuel walked in the third and has now reached base in all 23 of his major league games since making his debut on Aug. 18.
Los Angeles starter Patrick Sandoval settled down after a rocky first inning and tossed five frames, allowing two runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
As they chase the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles, the Rays rode the day’s euphoria and scored twice in the first when Arozarena belted a 403-foot shot to left center off Sandoval.
While Bradley cruised through 3 2/3 innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts, O’Hoppe broke through and ripped his 11th home run of the season in the fourth to make it 2-1.
Against red-hot reliever Robert Stephenson (3-4) with two outs in the eighth, Neto sent a cutter deep to left to knot the game at 2-all.
Shawn Armstrong, the Rays’ third reliever, pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the victory.
–Field Level Media
