By Eric He
The Associated Press
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.
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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.
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