That Bonkers 7th Inning Rally? It Started With a Kneecap Giving Out

The Tampa Bay Rays just snatched a wild 7-6 win from the San Diego Padres, and you won’t believe the bonkers seventh inning that decided it all.

Trading Blows, Setting the Stage

Early on, the Rays looked solid, holding a 2-1 lead through five. Liam Hicks got an RBI single, and Jonathan Aranda crushed a solo homer, only his second in 20 games and fourth extra-base hit in 86 plate appearances. Talk about a breakthrough! Then Ty France hit his 100th career home run for the Padres, an opposite field shot making it 3-2. Not to be outdone, Junior Caminero blasted his first homer in 16 games, his third extra-base hit in 66 plate appearances, tying it 3-3. Man, the stage was set for some drama.

The Wheels Come Off For a Minute

But the top of the seventh went sideways fast. Garrett Cleavinger, relieving Nick Martinez, made the cardinal sin of walking Luis Rengifo after being ahead 0-2. Brutal! Dustin Harris singled, then Fernando Tatis Jr. bunted perfectly to load the bases with no outs. Cleavinger managed to fan Jake Cronenworth, but Kevin Kelly came in, and Manny Machado singled right through the abandoned infield, plating two runs. Then, they pulled off a double-steal for a third run! Just like that, the Padres were up three, 6-3, against a team that rarely loses from a 7th inning lead with their A+ bullpen. This looked grim.

A Kneecap, Chaos, And The Comeback!

But the Rays said “not today!” in the bottom of the seventh. Down by three, their 7-8-9 hitters all reached base. Then Yandy Diaz absolutely crushed a high fastball from Bradgley Rodriguez, sounding like a grand slam. In the wild scramble, Luis Rengifo’s knee just gave out during a rundown and throw home. Insane! All three base runners scored, and Diaz ended up on third. Diaz then scored the go-ahead run on Chandler Simpson’s second hit of the game, pushing Simpson’s average to a ridiculous .384 since the break, leading all qualified hitters! Kevin Kelly locked down the eighth, and Bryan Baker sealed his 39th save, his 27th consecutive since May 13th. What a finish!

Seriously, what a comeback! This Rays win, especially with the Yankees dropping their doubleheader opener, is a huge momentum swing. Pure chaos, pure heart. You love to see it.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.