ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ The Rays needed some timely hitting and good relief pitching to beat the Astros 3-2 Sunday in front of 19,334 at Tropicana Field.
Down 1-0 in the seventh inning with runners on first and second, Matt Duffy greeted reliever Chris Devenski with a bloop single to right field. Adeiny Hechavarria, pinch-running for Jesus Sucre, scored easily. When right fielder Josh Reddick held on to the ball too long, Joey Wendle alertly rounded third and scored the go-ahead run.
Mallex Smith got a much-needed insurance run in the ninth when he hit a two-out home run to stretch the lead to 3-1. It was his first home run this season and the first in 356 at-bats, the longest active streak for a nonpitcher in baseball.
The Rays got out of a jam in the eighth. After a leadoff strikeout, starter Blake Snell got Jake Marisnick to strike out, but the ball went past catcher Wilson Ramos and Marisnick was able to reach first. A Tony Kemp single and a walk to Alex Bregman loaded the bases and chased Snell from the game.
Rookie Diego Castillo relieved and got reigning AL MVP Jose Altuve to strike out on a 3-and-2 pitch and Yuli Gurriel to ground out to short to end the inning.
In the ninth, the Astros' Evan Gattis hit a leadoff home run off Sergio Romo to make it 3-2. It was his second homer of the game.
The Astros (55-31) had a good chance to get a run in the fifth inning. With Max Stassi on first with two outs, Marisnick hit a deep fly ball to left-center. Smith, playing center field Sunday to give Kevin Kiermaier a rest, tracked it down in the deepest part of the park and made the running catch to end the inning.
The Rays got a runner to third in the sixth with two outs, but Smith struck out swinging to end that threat.
The Rays (42-41) ended their nine-game homestand 8-1, the second best in team history. It is the sixth time they have been over .500 this season. They begin a six-game road trip Monday against the Marlins.
