Junior Caminero hits his 34th homer; Rays rally with eight in the 8th to beat Athletics

Dominican infielder Junior Caminero hit his 34th home run of the season in a productive eight-run eighth inning, guiding the Tampa Bay Rays to a 10-6 win over the Athletics. The rally puts the Rays back in the playoff conversation.

The explosive eighth

The Rays entered the eighth inning trailing, but an eight-run inning turned the game around. Caminero’s home run was the gem of an attack that included key singles from Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda.

Starter, also Dominican, Freddy Peralta pitched six full innings of three earned runs and five strikeouts, keeping the team in the game until the rally.

Why it matters

Caminero’s 34th homer cements him among the American League’s power leaders and confirms his stardom at age 22. For the Rays, the win is key in the wild card race: every game counts in the final stretch.

The key figure

34. Junior Caminero’s home runs this season, the number that leads Tampa Bay and places him among the circuit’s best.