The Tampa Bay Rays clawed their way back to the .500 mark on Tuesday night, edging the Chicago White Sox 5-4 in a game packed with drama, home runs, and a few storylines that just won’t quit. With 19 games left in the regular season and the playoff race tightening, every at-bat and every pitching change seems to carry a little more weight—and this one was no exception.
Tristan Gray, a recent acquisition and something of a secret weapon for Tampa Bay, delivered the decisive blow with a solo home run in the seventh inning. That shot, drilled off White Sox lefty Tyler Alexander, broke a 4-4 tie and sent the Rays’ dugout into a frenzy. For Gray, it was his third homer in just 17 games since coming over from Chicago in a July 26 trade for cash. Talk about making an impression on your old club!
“It’s always a little extra special to do something like that against your former team,” Gray said after the game, his smile as wide as Lake Michigan. According to CBS Sports, Gray’s recent hot streak has him batting .333 with three home runs and two doubles in his last nine games—numbers that have certainly helped the Rays stay afloat in the American League wild card chase.
The White Sox, for their part, struck first. Rookie Kyle Teel continued to impress in his debut season, launching a solo homer to straightaway center in the bottom of the first. The South Side crowd erupted as Teel rounded the bases, and the Sox looked poised to keep their recent hot streak going—they’d won seven of their previous eight games coming into the night.
But the Rays wasted no time responding. Junior Caminero, another of Tampa Bay’s promising young talents, ripped a leadoff double in the second. Moments later, Josh Lowe—who’s battled through a rough stretch most of the year—crushed his 11th homer of the season, a two-run blast that gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead. Lowe’s resurgence in recent weeks has been a welcome sight for manager Kevin Cash and Rays fans alike.
The second-inning rally didn’t stop there. After two quick outs, Chandler Simpson stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch RBI single, pushing the Rays’ lead to 3-1. “We’ve talked all year about the importance of those two-out hits,” Cash remarked postgame. “Simpson’s was huge for us tonight.”
Richie Palacios added to the fireworks with a solo home run in the fourth inning—his first of the season after battling through injuries that limited him to just seven games. The Rays’ dugout cheered as Palacios circled the bases, extending the lead to 4-1 and giving Tampa Bay a bit of breathing room.
On the mound, Adrian Houser was facing his former team for the first time since being traded to Tampa Bay on July 31. Houser was sharp, striking out a season-high nine batters over 5 1/3 innings and allowing just three runs. “It felt good to be back here and compete,” Houser said. “But once you’re on that mound, you’re just trying to win.”
The White Sox, however, weren’t about to roll over. In the fifth, Chase Meidroth lined a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2. The sixth inning brought even more drama—and a bit of controversy. After a disputed call, Chicago manager Will Venable was ejected for arguing balls and strikes with umpire Vic Carapazza. The ejection seemed to light a fire under the Sox, who rallied for two runs. Lenyn Sosa singled and scored on Colson Montgomery’s double, then Andrew Benintendi tied it up with a two-out RBI single off Rays reliever Mason Montgomery. Suddenly, it was a brand-new ballgame at 4-4.
That set the stage for Gray’s heroics in the seventh. With one swing, he put the Rays back on top for good. Kevin Kelly came on in relief to record the final out of the sixth and pick up the win, while Pete Fairbanks handled the ninth for his 25th save in 30 opportunities—though he had to work around a two-out error that put the tying run on base. The final out came when Meidroth lined out to second, stranding a runner and sealing the Rays’ 11th win in their last 16 games.
The win was a big one for Tampa Bay, who improved to 72-72 and moved within four games of the Seattle Mariners for the third and final American League wild card spot. With several teams bunched up in the standings and only a handful of games left, every victory feels like it could be the difference between October baseball and an early offseason.
Jake Mangum, another rookie making waves, went 1-for-4 with a ninth-inning single. That hit extended his hot streak—Mangum is now batting .371 over his last 18 games, a remarkable run that’s given the Rays a spark at the bottom of the lineup.
For the White Sox, the loss was a tough pill to swallow after such a strong run. Curtis Mead, acquired in the Houser deal, went 0-for-4 as he continues to search for his footing with his new club. Starting pitcher Yoendrys Gómez allowed four runs over five innings, striking out five and walking one, while Alexander (5-14) took the loss after surrendering Gray’s go-ahead homer.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Rays’ recent surge has come after a stretch where they dropped three straight following a seven-game winning streak. If they can keep up this pace, they’ll be right in the thick of the playoff hunt down the stretch. As for Gray, his versatility and timely power have made him a valuable piece off the bench, even as he continues to fight for regular playing time.
Meanwhile, the White Sox have seen their young core—particularly Teel and Montgomery—show flashes of brilliance even in defeat. With 19 games left and two more home stands on the schedule, there’s still time for Chicago to play spoiler or build momentum heading into next season.
Next up, the Rays will send right-hander Ryan Pepiot (11-10, 3.59 ERA) to the mound for his 30th start of the year, extending his career high. The White Sox had not announced their starter as of game time. With the wild card race heating up, every inning will matter from here on out.
As the dust settled at Guaranteed Rate Field, one thing was clear: in September baseball, the margin for error is razor thin, and heroes can emerge in the unlikeliest of moments. The Rays will try to ride their momentum into the next game, while the White Sox look to bounce back and keep things interesting in the AL Central.
