PHILADELPHIA – Francisco Mejia broke the deadlock with a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays, the Eastern League leaders of the American League, beat the Philadelphia Philistines 7-4 on Wednesday.
Brandon Lowe hit his 30th inning of the season, while Dominican rookie Wander Franco hit a couple of hits to reach 26 straight games basing on Tampa Bay, who has won eight of the nine engagements and placed his leaves in 79-48, most outstanding of the American.
The Rays placed four and a half games above the New York Yankees, who are second in the Eastern Division.
Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins fired two flyers for the Phillies, who have lost six of eight engagements to fall five games behind the Atlanta Braves, who rested and lead the East in the National League.
Philadelphia has a 4-10 record since racking up eight wins earlier this month.
Mejia broke the tie 4-4 without outs in the ninth inning. The Dominican found a straight from Zack Wheeler (10-9), at 96 mph and counting 0-2, to deposit the ball on the second floor of the right garden tier.
Collin McHugh (5-1) accepted the run of the tie in the eighth chapter but resolved the ninth without accepting a run.
For the Rays, the Dominicans Franco 5-3 with two scored, Mejia 4-2 with one scored and 3 driven, Manuel Margot 1-0. Cubans Randy Arozarena 4-0 with a tow, Yandy Diaz 4-2 with a score and a push.
For the Filis, the Dominican Jean Segura 4-0 with a score. The Venezuelans Freddy Galvis 3-0, Ronald Torreyes 3-2, Odúbel Herrera 2-0.