The Tampa Bay Rays (42-30) defeated the Washington Nationals (39-37) 5-2 on Friday night at Tropicana Field to begin the longest homestand of the season with a victory and snap a three-game skid.
The Nationals built a 2-0 lead with a run in the second and the third before Jonathan Aranda hit a three-run homer in the third to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead. Taylor Walls added a RBI single in the fourth to make it 4-2 before Jonny DeLuca hit a solo homer in the eighth inning to make it 5-2, which would prove to be the final score.
Griffin Jax (2-5, 3.67) got the win thanks to pitching five innings in which he allowed two earned runs on four hits while striking out five and walking none. Bryan Baker earned his 19th save of the season after working a perfect ninth inning.
The Rays will look to win the series when they meet the Nationals in the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 4:10 PM - Chris Adams-Wall begins pregame coverage at 3:30 PM on 95.7 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES