Rays Win 6th Straight With Homer Barrage, Great Start By Littell in 7-2 Victory

Jonathan Aranda broke a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the sixth inning and Zach Littell pitched into the seventh inning in Tampa Bay's 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. It was their sixth straight win, their longest streak since 2023.

First baseman Jonathan Aranda hit a three-run homer to give Tampa Bay the lead over the Minnesota Twins. The Rays won 7-2. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

TAMPA, Fla. — The zeroes kept piling up, inning after inning after inning. And Tampa Bay first baseman Jonathan Aranda could see that just one swing might make the difference in Monday night's game with the Minnesota Twins

So when he stepped into the batter's box in the sixth inning of a scoreless tie, he could see Brandon Lowe at thrid base and Junior Caminero at second. It was, without question, a huge moment.

He had fouled off one fastball and swung and missed at another. With a 1-2 count, he was fully expecting another fastball from left-hander Brock Stewart, a key piece of the Twins' best-in-the-league bullpen.

But he got a sweeper instead, but he stayed back on it and adjusted quickly enough to yank it over the the right field wall at Steinbrenner Field. The Rays piled on later for a 7-2 win, but it was Aranda's shot — his seventh of the season — that won this game.

“He’s had a lot of big at-bats for us, for sure, this first two months of the season, and that was a big one,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Aranda's home run, which helped the 27-26 Rays gets their sixth straight win and move over .500 for the first time since April 5, when they were 4-3.. “(Rays starter Zach Littell) and (Twins starter Chris) Paddack were kind of going toe to toe, and there wasn’t a ton of offense going on either side.

“B-Lowe got it going, then Cami with the double down the line, makes it second and third. I understand the matchup is pretty challenging with a guy throwing as firm as that, but (Aranda) really hung in there off Stewart, got a pitch he could handle and knocked it out.”

Aranda, who's been Tampa Bay's best player all season, cherished the big moment, his first home run at Steinbrenner Field since April 19. This is the Rays' longest winning streak since winning seven straight from June 3-9 in 2023., and it slowed down the red-hot Twins, who were 16-3 since May 3.

“They were pitching me fastballs, and that specific pitch, I was waiting for another fastball,” Aranda said through team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “But I got the sweeper, and I was able to hit it out.

“We know the kind of team that we are capable of being, and that's what we're showing right now. We're playing with a lot of confidence.”

Paddack had given Rays hitters fits all night. He didn't allow a runner past first base until Brandon Lowe had a one-out single and Caminero followed with a double. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli went to the bullpen without hesitation, because the Twins' relievers led the American League in bullpen ERA (3.00) entering the game. He wanted the lefty-on-lefty matchup.

But Aranda made them pay, striking first in the scoreless pitchers' duel. Paddack allowed only five hits, but Tampa Bay's Zack Littell was even better. He allowed only three hits and took a shutout into the seventh, but when he hit Twins first baseman Ty France with a pitch, Cash decided to go to the bullpen despite only throwing 72 pitches.

In came left-hander Garrett Cleavinger, who entered the game with a 1.77 ERA and had only allowed one run in his last 12 appearances. But Carlos Correa took him deep to left on just his second pitch, and suddenly it was 3-2.

“I felt like, at that point of the game, Lit had given us everything,'' Cash said. "(Cleavinger) has been as good as any reliever in baseball. With a three-run lead right there, I thought let's just see if we can lock this inning down.”

The Rays blew it open in the bottom of the eighth. Aranda and Curtis Mead, who's had a hit in eight straight games, led off the inning with singles. One batter later, shortstop Jose Caballero doubled off the left-field wall to make it 5-2. Danny Jansen, who's had a lot of warning-track fly balls this season, then homered — just barely — over the left-field wall and the rout was on.

The Rays are playing their best baseball of the season during this winning streak. Their starters have pitched to a 1.50 ERA during the run, and the Rays have not trailed in their last 44 innings. It's the first time they've gone four straight games without trailing since that 2023 win streak.

The Rays had gone17 straight scoreless innings before Correa’s homer in the seventh inning. Littell was excellent, not walking a batter and pitching efficiently in the zone. It ws the eighth game this season where Rays pitching didn't allow a walk, and they are 7-1 in those games.

Littell got some great defensive help too, coaxing two double plays. The Rays didn't make anyt errors either, their seventh straight game without a miscue, a season high. It's their longest streak since June 19-26, 2024, when they went eight straight.

The two teams meet again on Tuesday night. Taj Bradley will pitch for the Rays against Joe Ryan.