ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays used some hustle and a little luck to rally for their latest win.
Steven Souza Jr., tied the score with a two-out RBI single in the eighth inning, stole second with the help of a replay challenge, and scored the winning run on an error to lift the Rays to a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox for their 10th win in 14 games.
Souza’s two-out single off Zach Putnam (1-2) drove in David DeJesus, who had singled and stole second. Souza then swiped second — after initially being called out — and Asdrubal Cabrera was walked intentionally before Jake Elmore hit a bouncer up the middle.
Shortstop Alexei Ramirez fielded Elmore’s grounder, but made a wild throw while trying to get the out at second. Souza rounded third and scored the tiebreaking run without seeing the errant throw.
"(Third base coach Charlie Montoya) just kept waving me and I just kept going," said Souza.
Ramirez’s error was the only one of the game.
"The ball gets stuck in your glove. It happens," said Mark Parent, who is managing the White Sox this weekend while Robin Ventura attends his daughter’s graduation. "It just seems that things like that happen too often, not just to him but a lot of us.
Tampa Bay had a 3-2 lead before pinch-hitter Conor Gillaspie connected for a two-run shot against Rays reliever Brad Boxberger (4-3) in the eighth. It was Gillaspie’s third of the season.
The first pinch homer of the year for Chicago came after Chris Archer walked pinch-hitter Adam Eaton. Archer’s first walk in four starts came on his last pitch of the game, but the right-hander said he was not disappointed at getting taken out, even though he had retired 10 straight before the walk.
"If I don’t walk that guy, then we’re not even having this discussion," said Archer, who said he was 100 per cent happy with the outcome. "This shows you why we’re in the position we’re in. We pitch well enough and we get timely hitting."
Jake McGee worked the ninth for his third save.
Tampa Bay grabbed a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Nick Franklin had a one-out triple to right and pinch-hitter Logan Forsythe followed with a chopper to shortstop against a drawn-in infield. Ramirez bobbled the ball briefly, and then threw to first for the out as Franklin scored.
Chicago starter Jeff Samardzija pitched seven solid innings. He allowed three runs and six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Archer gave up five hits and struck out five. His walk was the first he had issued since May 22 against Oakland. Archer had faced 107 batters in the interim, striking out 43 in the stretch.
Boxberger has given up three home runs in his last eight appearances after giving up none in his first 18.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: John Jaso, who has not played since opening day, batted in a cage and worked out at first base and in the outfield, all for the first time since sustaining a left wrist contusion.
UP NEXT
Chicago’s Chris Sale (6-2) will attempt to become the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 2001 to strike out 12 or more batters in four consecutive starts Sunday, opposing Tampa Bay’s Nathan Karns (3-3).
PUCK PRESENCE
A white Chicago Blackhawks jersey hung in the clubhouse of the White Sox, while several blue Tampa Bay Lightning jerseys were visible in the Rays clubhouse, all in recognition of Game 5 of the NHL’S Stanley Cup Final being played 20 miles away Saturday night.
