CLEVELAND — The Rays already felt like they won the day in acquiring veteran slugger Nelson Cruz from the Twins in a trade that was completed shortly before first pitch.
And they went out and rallied for a dramatic victory Thursday night over the Indians, 5-4 in 10 innings.
The Rays rallied to tie by scoring two runs in the ninth — the second after they had two outs and no one on. And they got a sort-of diving catch of an infield pop-up by reliever Pete Fairbanks to get through the bottom of the ninth.
Then they won it in the 10th.
Austin Meadows, who delivered the walkoff winner Wednesday at the Trop against the Orioles, came through again, singling in Randy Arozarena, who started the inning as the runner on second. Diego Castillo closed it out for the save, stranding the tying run at third by striking out the last two batters.
The win improved the Rays to 60-39, with a 5-2 record since the All-Star break, and potentially into a tie for first place in the American League East pending the result of the late rain-delayed Red Sox-Yankees game.
The Rays worked hard to get even.
Down 3-0 after starter Luis Patino gave up a home run to Franmil Reyes in the third, they chipped away at the lead.
They got one run right back when Yandy Diaz, the former Indian, tripled with one out in the fourth off starter Cal Quantrill, then scored on a sac fly by Kevin Kiermaier.,
They got another run in the seventh, when catcher Francisco Mejia, starting again as Mike Zunino gets fully recovered from his left-hip soreness, tripled and scored on Taylor Walls’ grounder to the right side.
Then they got two in the ninth.
Diaz led off with a homer. With two outs, pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi drew a four-pitch walk. Brandon Lowe then laced a ball high off the centerfield wall to score pinch-runner Brett Phillips.
The Rays were behind early after a mixed performance from Patino, the 21-year-old called up to start, with the idea of giving him an opportunity to establish himself as a member of the Rays rotation.
He worked into the sixth and worked around most of the trouble he created, but he allowed four runs. Three came on a big mistake, as he gave up a three-run homer to Reyes with two outs in the third.
The Indians had Oscar Mercado on second with two outs, and the Rays had Patino walk dangerous switch-hitter Jose Ramirez to face Reyes. Patino got ahead 1-2, with Reyes swinging and missing twice, but the Indians DH then made full contact with a Patino slider.
The Indians extended the lead to 4-1 in their half of the fourth when Harold Ramirez led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a groundout and scored on a sac fly.
