Rays erase early deficit, top Nationals to open homestand

Jonathan Aranda sliced a go-ahead, three-run homer off the left field foul pole, and the Tampa Bay Rays won the opener of their three-game series against Washington by topping the Nationals 5-2 on Friday night.

Opening a season-high 10-game homestand and owning the best home record in the majors, the Rays fought back from a 2-0 deficit and used Aranda’s deep shot to end a three-game losing streak.

Jonny Deluca returned to the lineup after a nearly month-long absence and hit a solo homer. Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero had two singles apiece.

Pitching with an extra day’s rest, Griffin Jax (2-5) threw five innings and allowed two runs on four hits including two solo homers. He fanned five without a walk.

Closer Bryan Baker notched his 19th save with a perfect ninth.

Washington’s Luis Garcia Jr. went 2-for-3 with a homer, and CJ Abrams also went deep.

Cade Cavalli (illness) was scheduled as the starter, but he was scratched earlier in the day for PJ Poulin, who was the opener in a bullpen game.

Poulin tossed two scoreless innings before turning the mound duties over to two-time All-Star Miles Mikolas, who had posted 11 2/3 shutout innings in his past two outings.

Mikolas (2-6) took the loss after pitching six innings and surrendering five runs on nine hits. He struck out two with a walk.

The visitors struck first in the second inning when Abrams led off the frame by crushing a Jax cutter an estimated 412 feet to center for his 15th home run. Nasim Nunez singled and stole his National League-leading 27th base, but left fielder Chandler Simpson’s sliding grab on Jorbit Vivas slowed the fleet Nats.

After DeLuca made a leaping snag of James Wood’s long drive to right-center, Garcia lifted his 10th homer to left, just making it into the first row for a 2-0 lead in the third.

Mikolas relieved in the third and put runners on with a walk and a hit with one out. Aranda followed by knocking a shot off the foul pole down the left field line and making it 3-2.

Tampa Bay added another run in the fourth when Taylor Walls singled in Richie Palacios after the second baseman’s one-out double.

DeLuca smacked his third homer, a majestic 398-foot shot high to left, leading off the eighth for the final tally.

–Field Level Media