ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — At this point, the Rays aren’t concerned with appearances or aesthetics.
They need to win games to ensure a playoff spot and don’t really care how they get there.
Saturday, with two of their most productive hitters, Randy Arozarena and Yandy Diaz out of the lineup, they scratched out their first two runs on sacrifice flies and got a third on a homer from one of their least potent hitters. They added on from there, with a two-run double by Isaac Paredes.
Combined with a six-pitcher effort, it was enough to beat the Rangers, 5-1.
The win improved the Rays to 81-64 and kept them at least a close third in the three-team American League wild-card field, pending Seattle’s late result. Plus, Tampa Bay expanded its margin over fourth-place Baltimore to 5 1/2 games with 17 to play.
The Rays took the lead in the first.
Jonathan Aranda, a surprise choice for the leadoff spot, was hit by a Jon Gray pitch. He went to second on a Wander Franco single, third on a Harold Ramirez force out and scored on David Peralta’s sacrifice fly.
The Rays made it 2-0 in the third. Jose Siri led off with a single and quickly stole second. He went to third on Aranda’s rightside grounder and scored on Franco’s sacrifice fly to left.
The Rangers closed to 2-1 in the fourth when former Rays minor-leaguer Jonah Heim homered off Ryan Yarbrough.
The Rays made it 3-1 in the fifth, when switch-hitter Taylor Walls homered right-handed off lefty reliever Taylor Hearn. It was the seventh homer of the year for Walls, who has a .174 average.
Shawn Armstrong was the opener for the Rays, followed by Yarbrough, Javy Guerra, Jalen Beeks, Jason Adam and Brooks Raley.
