Rays Rally Behind Diaz and DeLuca

**Corey** (0:00)
On June 21st, the Tampa Bay Race snagged the series win. Their first since taking two out of three from the Angels a few weeks back. It wasn't a blowout, but solid pitching and defense, plus just enough offense, got them the W Nick Martinez pitch six innings, giving up three runs, which is exactly what you want from a guy who can keep you in the game, even when he's not at his absolute best. Earlier in the game, the offense was a bit of a mixed bag. They were hitting the ball hard with some nice extra base hits, but a lot of those came with two outs, making it tough to drive in runs.
They did manage to score in the third inning thanks to back-to-back doubles from Taylor Walls and Yandy Diaz, but they left too many guys on base in. Other innings, which is why they were down three to one, heading into the middle of the sixth. But then the bats came alive against the Nationals bullpen.
Ryan Vilade brought them closer with a homer in the sixth, and then in the next inning, Jonny DeLuca hit the go-ahead home run.
The bullpen trio of Clevinger, Baker, and Kelly shut things down with three scoreless innings to seal the victory. It was good to see Brian Baker used in the eighth to face their best hitters, showing some flexibility in how they deploy their pitchers. It also seems like Jonny DeLuca's return from the injured list might be a factor in the team's improved performance. His bat seems to have some extra pop again. And Chandler Simpson, who was struggling to get on base and make things happen with speed, also showed some positive signs this series. He's still a young player, so hopefully this is the start of him finding his rhythm again. And then there's Yandy Diaz. What else can you say? He continues to be a consistent force for the team. This series win is a good sign, and hopefully they can build on this momentum.
Washington Nationals News Today, powered by AI bringing you what matters on and off the field. I'm Corey with the story.