Junior Caminero launched a mammoth walk-off home run in the ninth inning Friday night, sending the Tampa Bay Rays to the postseason by virtue of a 3-1 win over the Houston Astros in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The American League’s home run leader, Caminero crushed a 417-foot blast to left-center field off reliever Bryan Abreu (6-4) for his 40th long ball. One batter earlier, Jonathan Aranda nearly homered to right-center, settling for a one-out double.
Caminero then belted Abreu’s 97 mph first-pitch fastball for his first career walk-off blast, making the Rays (88-59) the first club to clinch a postseason spot this year.
The Rays, the American League East leaders who can get no worse than a wild card, are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
Tampa Bay got a solo home run from Victor Mesa Jr., who also walked and stole a base. Richie Palacios recorded a single, a walk and a stolen base.
Drew Rasmussen drew a no-decision after seven strong innings, though the Rays won for the 10th consecutive time in games he has started. The right-hander allowed one run on eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks in 92 pitches.
Tampa Bay closer Bryan Baker (2-2) tossed a scoreless ninth inning with a walk and a strikeout.
Without star slugger Yordan Alvarez, who twisted his right ankle running the bases Thursday in Philadelphia, the AL West-leading Astros (75-73) still outhit the Rays 9-4. Yainer Diaz went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
Opener Miguel Ullola and Bryan King combined for 2 1/3 scoreless innings before Ethan Pecko took over as the bulk reliever. Pecko was sharp, yielding one run on one hit over 5 2/3 innings. He fanned four and walked two.
In the fourth inning, Tampa Bay left fielder Chandler Simpson misplayed a one-out liner by Isaac Paredes for a double. Paredes, a former Ray, went to third on Daulton Varsho’s single and scored on Diaz’s fielder’s-choice grounder for a 1-0 lead.
After managing just one hit through four frames, the Rays pulled level when Mesa cranked Pecko’s first pitch of the fifth for his 13th long ball. The shot to right-center off Pecko’s four-seam fastball traveled 415 feet.
