ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Austin Meadows drove in his third run on a tiebreaking RBI infield single during a two-run eighth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays won for the 14th time in 15 games, 5-3 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.
Randy Arozarena had a leadoff single in the eighth and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Sam Coonrod (0-2). After Yandy Díaz was intentionally walked with one out, Meadows made it 4-3 with his hit off José Alvarado.
Tampa Bay took a two-run lead when Alvarado walked pinch-hitter Mike Brosseau with the bases load.
Diego Castillo (1-3) worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the eighth for the Rays, who have won three in a row after Kansas City stopped their 11-game winning streak on Tuesday. J.P. Feyereisen worked the ninth to get his second save.
Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler gave up three runs, four hits, two walks and struck out a career-high 14 over seven innings. The right-hander made six starts in May, going 2-0 with 57 strikeouts, five walks and allowing 11 runs in 43 1/3 innings.
Phillies right fielder Roman Quinn left the game in the fifth inning with a left Achilles tendon injury. He stumbled and fell rounding third on Ronald Torreyes’ two-run double, got up and soon after had to hop home on his right leg. Quinn ruptured his right Achiiles tendon during an offseason workout in 2013.
Matt Joyce, who replaced Quinn, tied it at 3 on a seventh-inning solo homer off Jeffrey Springs. He had been hitless in his previous 28 at-bats.
Tampa Bay struck out 16 times and Philadelphia punched out 15 times. The Rays have struck out a major league-most 565 times, and the Phillies are at 528.
Wheeler uncharacteristically issued consecutive walks to Yandy Díaz and Meadows with two outs in the sixth before Ji-Man Choi put the Rays up 3-2 on a single.
Torreyes ended Ryan Yarbrough’s day with a fifth-inning hit that tied it at 2.
Yarbrough, winless in his last 24 starts since Aug 17, 2019, gave up two runs, three hits, two walks and struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings. The lefty, who often follows an opener, is 25-5 as a reliever.
Meadows hit a two-run homer in the first. He homered and drove in four runs in the Rays’ 7-2 win over Kansas City in Thursday night. He has 26 RBIs in his last 23 games.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was reinstated from the 10-day injured list after being out with a left hand contusion and went 0 for 3 with a walk and stolen base.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: RHP Chris Archer feels the tendinitis in his right forearm is gone and now it is a matter of building arm strength. There is no date for his return but Archer would be pleased if it occurs in early July.
UP NEXT
Phillies RHP Zach Eflin (2-4) will be the start in the finale of the two-game series on Sunday. LHP Josh Fleming (4-3) could be the starter or follow an opener for Tampa Bay.
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