Newcomer Jankowski Has First Walk-Off Hit in Rays' 3-2 Win Over Brewers on Saturday

On a historic day that included the first home rain delays in Tampa Bay Rays history, newcomer Travis Jankowski had a first as well, walking it off with a game-winning single in the ninth inning for a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero (right) pours water on outfielder Travis Jankowski after his walk-off hit beat the Milwaukee Brewers. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

TAMPA, Fla. — On a historic day that included the first home rain delays in Tampa Bay Rays history, newcomer Travis Jankowski had a first as well, walking it off with a game-winning single in the ninth inning for a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jankowski ended a fun — yet long — Saturday at the ballpark that featured two rain delays at the Rays' temporary home at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The first one, which last 27 minutes, delayed the start of the game and the second — in the fifth inning — last 38 minutes and forced some tough pitching decisions for the Rays.

The stops and starts ended with a lot of crazy ninth-inning drama. Both teams came to the final frame tied at 2-2. In the top of the inning, Rays closer Pete Fairbanks had to get five outs instead of three thanks to back-to-back one-out errors by third baseman Junior Caminero and first baseman Johnathan Aranda.

Fairbanks then loaded the bases with a walk, but then got Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick to pop up and then third baseman Caleb Durbin hit a lazy fly ball to center to end the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, Caminero opened the frame with an infield single, but then pinch-runner Jose Caballero was immediately caught stealing. Kameron Misner walked, and he successfully stole second with two outs to get into scoring position.

Jankowski, a career .237 hitter who is batting .368 since joining the Rays on April 27, then singled to left and Misner came around to score for the Rays' second-straight one-run with after losing eight straight home games.

The Rays' grounds crew was well prepared for the rain delays, the first at home in 27 years for a franchise used to playing indoors at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. So was the Rays' marketing department, which had planned for the historic rain drops by handing out Budweiser-sponsored rain ponchos.

The second delay came at an interesting time in the bottom of the fifth inning. It was long enough — 38 minutes — that most thought Rays starter Taj Bradley was done for the day. But he came back to pitch a perfect sixth inning, helping out a taxed bullpen. Bradley allowed just two runs on solo home runs by Jackson Chourio and Jose Ortiz, giving just just four hits and striking out five.

Edwin Uceta got three quick outs in the seventh, and Manuel Rodriguez was perfect in the eighth, which was good to see since both had struggled of late. Uceta was touched for three runs in Thursday's loss to the Phillies, and Rodriguez had given up a run in two straight appearances. Their good work set the stage for the ninth-inning craziness.

This was the Rays' third walk-off win this season, tied for the American League lead with the Cleveland Guardians, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics. It clinched the series, too, and the Rays have now won six of seven series this season vs. National League teams, and are 13-7 vs. the NL.

Their 13 interleague wins are the most in baseball, and their .650 winning percentage is also the best among teams that have played seven interleague games or more.

The two teams close out the series on Sunday, with Drew Rasmussen (1-3, 3.09 ERA) starting for Tampa Bay. Milwaukee will counter with Chad Patrick (2-3, 3.08 ERA) in the finale, which starts at 1:40 p.m. ET.