TAMPA (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Rays used a two-run home run by Jonathan Aranda in the fifth inning to take the lead for good, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at George Steinbrenner Field before a crowd of 17,562.

The Rays improved to 47-33 on the season, while the Diamondbacks fell to 41-41. The game lasted 2 hours, 19 minutes.

Arizona jumped ahead in the first inning. Geraldo Perdomo led off with a double and scored on a single by Corbin Carroll. The Diamondbacks held a 1-0 edge before Tampa Bay answered in the bottom half. Junior Caminero crushed his 21st home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, tying the game at 1.

The score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Yandy Díaz drew a walk off Diamondbacks starter Jose Cabrera. Aranda then drove a 1-0 pitch over the right-center field wall for his 13th home run, giving Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead.

Tampa Bay added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Victor Mesa Jr. led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a bunt single by Chandler Simpson. Cedric Mullins followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Mesa Jr. and giving the Rays a 4-1 advantage.

Arizona cut the deficit to 4-2 in the eighth inning when Ketel Marte led off with his 14th home run, a solo shot to center field. The Diamondbacks had a chance for more when Perdomo singled, but he was thrown out at second base trying to stretch the hit into a double, ending the inning. Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the victory.

Michael Grove earned the win, improving to 1-0 on the season. The right-hander worked three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while striking out four. Jose Cabrera took the loss, falling to 0-1. He allowed three runs on four hits over five innings, striking out four and walking two. Bryan Baker picked up his 21st save, tossing a perfect ninth inning.

The Rays’ bullpen was a key factor. Cole Sulser allowed one run on two hits over two innings with one strikeout. Casey Legumina contributed 1 2/3 scoreless innings, yielding two hits and striking out one. Kevin Kelly allowed one earned run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings, striking out two. For the Diamondbacks, the offense managed only seven hits, with Perdomo collecting two singles and a double. Marte’s home run was Arizona’s only extra-base hit besides Perdomo’s double.

Tampa Bay finished with eight hits. Mesa Jr. led the way with two hits, including a double, and scored a run. Caminero provided the early equalizer with his solo homer. Aranda’s two-run blast was the decisive blow. Chandler Simpson and Cedric Mullins each had a hit, with Mullins driving in a run on a sacrifice fly. Yandy Díaz walked twice and scored a run.

Defensively, the Rays turned a double play in the seventh inning. Shortstop Taylor Walls and second baseman Richie Palacios combined with first baseman Aranda to erase a potential threat. Arizona’s only double play came in the second inning, when third baseman Nolan Arenado started a line-drive double play to catch Taylor Walls off first base.

The game marked the second consecutive victory for Tampa Bay in the series, following a 6-1 win Friday. The Diamondbacks had won three of their previous four games before Saturday’s loss. The Rays improved to 6-4 in their last 10 games, while the Diamondbacks dropped to 5-5 in the same span.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Arizona 6, Tampa Bay 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Tampa Bay a 54.40 percent probability to win. The Rays were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of six went under the over/under line of eight.