Junior Caminero's walk-off homer beats Astros, sends Rays to playoffs

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.