Rays 5, Athletics 4
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit a solo home run in the seventh inning and a two-run double in the top of the ninth as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied for a 5-4 victory against the Oakland A's on Saturday night at O.co Coliseum.
A's switch pitcher Pat Venditte (0-2) took over for right-hander Sonny Gray in the ninth, trying to protect a 4-3 lead. But, after striking out third baseman Evan Longoria, he walked first baseman Daniel Nava, who was replaced by pinch runner Tim Beckham. Second baseman Logan Forsythe lined a double to left-center, moving Beckham to third and ending Venditte's night.
Cabrera smoked left-hander Drew Pomeranz's first pitch down the right-field line for a two-run double, giving the Rays a 5-4 lead.
Cabrera, Forsythe and designated hitter John Jaso hit solo home runs off Gray, who allowed a career-high three homers.
Right-hander Alex Colome (6-4) blanked the A's in the eighth and ninth innings for the win.
Rays right-hander Erasmo Ramirez allowed four runs on eight hits, two of them homers, over seven innings.
Gray gave up three runs on five hits over eight innings and got a no-decision. He struck out four, walked two and threw 108 pitches. He had allowed more than one home run in a game just twice in his career before Saturday.
The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Forsythe hammered Gray's 1-2 slider into the left-field seats with one out.
Oakland answered with a run in the bottom of the second. Third baseman Brett Lawrie beat out an infield single with one out, and catcher Josh Phegley grounded an opposite-field, RBI double down the right-field line.
In the third, the Rays regained the lead on Jaso's second home run of the season. Gray threw a first-pitch fastball, and Jaso, who played the previous two seasons for Oakland, launched it into the right-field seats.
Phegley hit a two-run homer, and rookie first baseman Mark Canha a solo shot during a three-run rally in the sixth inning when the A's took a 4-2 lead.
Canha led off the sixth with a home run to straight-away center over the 400-foot mark. With one out, Lawrie doubled to left-center, and Phegley launched Ramirez's first-pitch fastball over the left-field fence. Phegley went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer and three RBIs.
Phegley's seventh home run of the season gave the A's a 4-2 lead, but Cabrera cut that margin to one run with a solo shot with one out in the seventh off Gray. Gray threw a 1-2 changeup, and Cabrera went the opposite way, homering over the left-center field fence.
Rays first baseman James Loney was ejected by home plate umpire Paul Nauert in the top of the sixth inning after taking a called third strike and slamming his helmet down on home plate. The second he was thrown out, an angry Loney went chest-to-chest with Nauert, bumping him and arguing. Rays manager Kevin Cash had to restrain Loney, and a pair of Rays coaches led him back to the bench.
NOTES: A's LHP Sean Doolittle (strained left shoulder) was reinstated from the disabled list. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Stockton on Aug. 7 and pitched a scoreless inning before making four relief appearances with Triple-A Nashville, allowing one run and one hit in four innings. ... A's RHP Dan Otero was optioned to Triple-A Stockton and 1B Ike Davis, who will have season-ending left hip surgery Thursday, was moved to the 60-day disabled list. ... Rays RHP Jose Dominguez cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Durham. He was designated for assignment on Aug. 16. ... A's 3B Danny Valencia (lower right hamstring) was scratched from the lineup and had an MRI. "The doctor will take a look at the MRI tomorrow and we'll have a better idea of how many days he's going to miss," A's manager Bob Melvin said. ... Rays LF Desmond Jennings on Friday became the first player in franchise history to drive in every run in back-to-back wins. He had an RBI in the Rays' 1-0 win over Houston on Thursday and two RBIs in a 2-1 win over Oakland on Friday.