ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Ramon Laureano hit his first career grand slam to break an eighth-inning tie and finished with five RBI and the Oakland Athletics beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on Wednesday.
Oakland went 6-4, including taking two of three from the Rays, on a season-long 10-game trip that included some significant travel issues.
The Athletics didn’t arrive in Florida until after 3 a.m. Monday. They spent 3 1/2 hours in the clubhouse following their game at the Texas Rangers on Sunday because of storm-related damage to their plane.
Yandy Diaz and Tommy Pham both had three hits for the Rays, who are 18-16 at home and dropped one-half game behind the idle AL East-leading New York Yankees.
Matt Olson started the decisive eighth with a single off Adam Kolarek (2-2). Chaz Roe entered and after striking out Khris Davis, the right-hander walked Stephen Piscotty and then intentionally walked Robbie Grossman after a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.
Laureano made it 6-2 by sending a 2-2 pitch from Colin Poche into the left-field stands.
Oakland took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a two-out infield single by Laureano.
Athletics starter Brett Anderson left in the seventh with two on and one out and the Athletics up 2-0.
Tampa Bay tied it at 2 when Diaz greeted Liam Hendriks (3-0) with an RBI double and Avisail Garcia added a run-scoring infield single.
Anderson was charged with two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Olson homered for the second consecutive game, a solo shot off Yonny Chirinos in the sixth that put Oakland ahead 2-0.
Olson’s previous at-bat appeared to play a role in Athletics Manager Bob Melvin being ejected by plate umpire Sean Barber for arguing balls and strikes.
Melvin was tossed while Tampa Bay’s Austin Meadows was batting in the third, which came after Olson expressed his displeasure with Barber about an inning-ending called third strike with two on in the top of the inning.
Chirinos, coming off eight shutout innings at Boston on Friday, allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. Working as a starter in his past four appearances and not entering following an opener, the right-hander has given up six runs over 24 1/3 innings.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CUBS 7, ROCKIES 1: Cole Hamels struck out nine in seven scoreless innings, singled twice and drove in two runs to lead Chicago to a win at Denver.
Rockies All-Star third-baseman Nolan Arenado left in the fifth inning with a left forearm contusion after Hamels (6-2) hit him with a pitch in the third, and three more batters – including Hamels – were hit by pitches later in the game.
Chicago’s Kris Bryant was hit by pitches three times in the first two games of the series.
Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago, which snapped a five-game road losing streak. Colorado’s 10-game home winning streak ended.
DIAMONDBACKS 2, PHILLIES 0: Merrill Kelly tossed three-hit ball over 72/3 innings, and Arizona won at Philadelphia.
Kelly (7-6) struck out five before departing when Bryce Harper entered the game as a pinch hitter. Andrew Chafin retired Harper on two pitches and Greg Holland finished the three-hitter, earning his 10th save in 11 tries.
MARLINS 9, CARDINALS 0: Jordan Yamamoto pitched seven innings to win his major league debut, and Garrett Cooper hit a grand slam to help host Miami break a six-game losing streak.
Yamamoto, acquired last year in the Christian Yelich trade, allowed three hits and two walks and threw 95 pitches. The rookie also earned an RBI with a squeeze bunt.
Two relievers completed a three-hitter.
Yamamoto was recalled from Double-A Jacksonville to fill in for Jose Ureña, who went on the 10-day injured list with a strained lower back.
Cooper finished a double shy of the cycle, and pulled a two-out inside fastball that was off the plate for a grand slam in the second inning against Miles Mikolas (4-7).
INTERLEAGUE
REDS 7, INDIANS 2: Rookie Nick Senzel and Joey Votto hit back-to-back home runs to open the game and Cincinnati later got deep shots from Eugenio Suarez and Curt Casali to win at Cleveland.
The quick homers by Senzel and Votto off rookie Zach Plesac (1-2) marked the first time an opposing team hit consecutive homers to start a game in Cleveland in 118 years.
NOTES
JAYS: The Toronto Blue Jays placed closer Ken Giles on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
INDIANS: Mike Clevinger is rejoining the rotation sooner than anyone expected.
The right-hander, whose season seemed in jeopardy when he strained a muscle in his upper back on April 7, will start Monday when Cleveland opens a four-game series at Texas. It’s been an unexpectedly quick comeback for Clevinger.
The team’s medical staff didn’t think he’d pick up a ball for 6 to 8 weeks, but the hard-working, hard-throwing Clevinger bounced back. He’ll face major league hitters following two minor league rehab starts.
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