Chandler Simpson and Jonny DeLuca each went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI as the first-place Tampa Bay Rays won another series and stretched their lead in the American League East by hanging on to defeat the Athletics 4-3 on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Rays (92-59) won their fifth straight game, all at the start of a nine-game homestand, and moved 4 1/2 games ahead of the New York Yankees (88-64) in the division. Tampa Bay will shoot for a three-game sweep on Thursday.
Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez (15-4) tossed five innings and allowed two runs on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts. Cole Sulser threw a perfect ninth inning for his third save.
Tommy White went 3-for-4 with a solo homer for the A’s (61-91), who have lost three out of four. The Athletics also got a solo shot from Henry Bolte, and Jeff McNeil doubled and singled. Shea Langeliers had an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
In a rocky start, Brady Basso (1-3) allowed four runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings without a strikeout or walk.
Following Junior Caminero’s deep double to center with two outs in the first inning, DeLuca hooked an RBI double inside the third base line. Simpson then hit a hard grounder that second baseman McNeil slid toward and deflected for another double and a 2-0 lead.
The home side doubled the lead in the second on Nick Fortes’ RBI double and Ryan Vilade’s run-scoring single.
For the first time in the series, the Athletics’ bats came alive in the third with three hits, including two solo homers. White finished off a 10-pitch at-bat by lobbing his third homer to left before Bolte clubbed his 11th to straightaway center.
With Martinez out of the game, the visitors cut the gap to 4-3 in the sixth. McNeil hit a leadoff double against Kevin Kelly, and Langeliers singled him home.
The Athletics’ bullpen held the Rays scoreless behind strong efforts from Seth Johnson, Drew Rom, Scott Blewett and Hogan Harris.
With Tampa Bay closer Bryan Baker having pitched the night before, the Rays turned to Sulser with a one-run lead in the ninth.
The right-hander retired Zack Gelof on a deep fly at the center field wall before getting Donovan Walton on a shallow fly to right and White on a groundout to third.
