The Rays were still stinging from their loss to the White Sox on Monday and hoping that a Tuesday night rematch would be just the thing to tie up the series. The Rays turned to Drew Rasmussen to tackle pitching duties, while the Sox were relying on Davis Martin.
The game started with this adorable first pitch.
The White Sox went 1-2-3 in the top of the first. That would seem like an excellent way to start, except the Rays then did the same, going down in order in the home half.
It was another three-up,
three-down for the Sox in the second. The Rays shook things up a little in the home half with back-to-back walks by Junior Caminero and Josh Lowe. A force out off the bat of Jake Mangum eliminated Lowe. Matt Thaiss then walked. With Jose Cabellero at bat, Martin was called on a balk, which scored Caminero. Cabellero then singled to score two more runs. A Taylor Walls groundout scored Cabellero, and at the end of the second inning the Rays were up 4-0.
In the top of the third the Sox went down in order again, and now it was starting to feel very nice to see. Jonathan Aranda got a one-out single in the home half, but was eliminated in a double play off the bat of Junior Caminero.
The White Sox finally got someone on base in the fourth as Michael Tauchman doubled to start the inning. Chase Meidroth then singled, scoring Tauchman and putting the Sox on the board. Andrew Benintendi singled, followed by a Miguel Vargas walk. An Edgar Quero sac fly scored one run, then two outs followed to end the inning without too much damage done. Certainly not an ideal outcome for the inning, though. Bring back the 1-2-3s, please. In the home half, the Rays went down in order.
Rasmussen was done after the painful fourth inning, making way for Edwin Uceta. Drew’s final line of the day was 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K on 75 pitches. He probably could have stayed in for another inning, but that wasn’t the game we were playing. Uceta got the side out in order. In the home half, Caballero singled to start things off, then he tried to steal second. While he was initially ruled safe, the Sox challenged, and the call was ultimately overturned. Chandler Simpson walked, then avenged Caballero by successfully stealing second. Unfortunately he wouldn’t get a chance to score as a strikeout ended the inning. It’s worth pausing to note that with that steal, Simpson set a Rays rookie steal record at 28.
Benintendi got a one-out single at the top of the sixth. With two outs, Benintendi was able to advance on a disengagement violation, which... is a new one for me. Because it is new, effective in 2023, and it treats multiple pickoff attempts in one plate appearance as a balk, giving the baserunner a free bag.
This was a disengagement violation. You don't see those very often. Nice job Benny. pic.twitter.com/Ln7LJ02P4g
— FutureSox (@FutureSox) July 23, 2025
It ended up not mattering as a strikeout ended the inning. Tyler Alexander came in for relief in the bottom of the inning. While Caminero managed a one-out single, that was it for the Rays in terms of baserunners for the inning.
Bryan Baker was next out of the Rays’ pen and gave up a home run to Colson Montgomery. He got the next three outs in order, but the Sox were now within one run of tying the game. The Rays went down in order in the home half.
Garrett Cleavinger replaced Baker in the eighth. Tauchman got a leadoff single, but a force out and double play ended the inning with no harm done. In the home half, Simpson singled to start the inning, Mike Vasil came in to replace Alexander. As Yandy Diaz struck out, Simpson stole second. Aranda was intentionally walked. Simpson then stole third base.
Pete Fairbanks came out for the top of the eighth, hoping to collect the save. He did just that, collecting three outs in order and securing the Rays’ win.
Final: Rays 4, White Sox 3
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