Junior Caminero had been doing some other things to help the Tampa Bay Rays as they struggled over the last three weeks, but not what he does best and enjoys most — hitting home runs. After posting just one, and driving in only three runs, during the rough 18-game span in which the Rays lost 12 times and fell out of first place in the American League East, Caminero delivered a big blast ...

Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after a two-run home run during the eighth inning to take the lead 5-3 against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif..

Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images North America/TNS

Junior Caminero had been doing some other things to help the Tampa Bay Rays as they struggled over the last three weeks, but not what he does best and enjoys most — hitting home runs.

After posting just one, and driving in only three runs, during the rough 18-game span in which the Rays lost 12 times and fell out of first place in the American League East, Caminero delivered a big blast Sunday.

His two-run homer in the eighth put the Rays back ahead, sending them to an 8-3 victory that saved them from being swept by the Los Angeles Angels.

The Rays improved to 41-27, staying within one game of the New York Yankees, as they make the short trip north to open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.

The Angels grabbed the early lead, scoring a run in the second off Rays opener Casey Legumina. Jo Adell led off with a single, went to second when Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Denzer Guzman.

The Rays, after wasting a chance in the first, got on the board in the third.

They loaded the bases on a Victor Mesa Jr. walk, a one-out single by Jonathan Aranda and Cedric Mullins being hit by a pitch. That ended the day for Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez, who left with an apparent arm injury and was replaced by Chase Silseth. After Caminero struck out, Chandler Simpson came up with the kind of key hit the Rays have been lacking, a single that scored two.

The Rays extended the lead to 3-1 in the fourth when Ben Williamson greeted lefty reliever Drew Pomeranz with a drive over the center-field fence, his first homer as a Ray and second in the majors.

But Ian Seymour, who replaced Legumina in the second with a plan to work bulk innings, gave up the lead in the fifth.

Donovan Walton led off with a home run. Logan Porter worked a seven-pitch walk, got to second with two outs and scored when Adell bounced a ball toward short.

Caminero’s aggressiveness to try to make plays has been an issue before and was again Sunday as he broke to his left and cut in front of Williamson, who was then screened and unable to make the play.

The Rays’ five-run eighth off reliever Sam Bachman started with a walk by Mullins, his fourth time of the day on base. Caminero was next, lofting a ball just over the low wall in the left-field corner for his 15th homer of the season. He hadn’t gone deep in his 10 previous games and had hit only one over 21.

A Richie Palacios double, a two-out RBI single by Hunter Feduccia and a two-run homer by Mesa made the score 8-3.

Things still weren’t easy for the Rays. Veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel, who had a big hand in Saturday’s 8-0 loss, loaded the bases with one out on a hit batter and two walks. But Garrett Cleavinger, who also faltered Saturday, did the job on Sunday, striking out pinch-hitter Trey Mancini with a 99 mph sinker, and Oswald Peraza.

Seymour worked 3 1/3 innings, limited in length as he threw 72 pitches. Kevin Kelly handled the next two, followed by Kimbrel, Cleavinger and Bryan Baker.

Notes

Yandy Diaz walked in the eighth inning, extending his on-base streak to 27 games, the longest active streak in the majors and matching the second longest of his career.

— Monday’s game against the Dodgers was chosen for ESPN’s national package, so there will be no Rays.TV coverage.

— Manager Kevin Cash said on the radio pregame show the Rays are “confident” they can manage the blister issue on Griffin Jax’s right hand going forward. Jax told reporters after his Saturday outing the blister was a factor in him leaving after five innings. Cash said Jax aggravated it on a throw to first on the last play of the fifth, and it “kind of ripped the nail a little bit.”

— The Rays won’t face either of their former teammates in Los Angeles, as both Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are on the injured list.

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