The speedster stole home and also scored a winning run from second on an infield single
Earlier this season, the Tampa Bay Rays were swept in a three game series in Texas against the Rangers.
Over the past three days, the Rays returned the favor in Tampa as they took all three games against the Rangers.
The starting pitching was solid for the Rays and the offense came through when it needed to for the Rays to take all three games. One player in particular stood out from the rest and that was Junior Caminero, our 20th Player of the Series award winner.
During the three games, Caminero collected three hits, including two homeruns, over 12 trips to the plate. On Tuesday, Caminero was credited with a steal of home after racing to the plate in a play that featured Jake Mangum stealing second and a Kyle Higashioka throwing error; Caminero later belted his 14th homerun of the year to give the Rays a 5-1 lead, which was the final score of the game.
Caminero had an 0-4 display on Wednesday, but the Rays still won the game.
Then, on Thursday, Caminero gave the Rays an early lead as he walloped his 15th homerun of the season. Later on in the bottom of the 9th with the Rays trailing, 3-1, Caminero laced a single up the middle that made it a 3-2 game. Caminero eventually moved to second and was there with two outs and Taylor Walls at the plate. Walls hit a weak grounder to the right side of the infield which Marcus Semien handled cleanly and should have had an easy out at first.
However, the Rangers defense was frazzled and Junior Caminero never stopped chugging after reaching third and Brady Williams gave him the windmill sign to keep the engine chuning and the Rays 21-year old slugger dove into home for the walk-off win.
Caminero continues his torrid stretch, having hit at least one homerun in each of the Rays past five series. Since May 23rd, Caminero is hitting .373/.407/.922 with 14 XBH (7 HR) over 54 PA.
Overall this season, Caminero is hitting .262/.293/.520 with 15 HR, registering a 129 wRC+ and accruing 1.3 fWAR over 58 games.
DRAYSBAY PLAYER OF THE SERIES
- 1st: Kameron Misner
- 2nd: Jake Mangum
- 3rd: Brandon Lowe
- 4th: Jose Caballero
- 5th: Joe Boyle
- 6th: Shane Baz
- 7th: Chandler Simpson
- 8th: Christopher Morel
- 9th: Chandler Simpson
- 10th: Mason Englert
- 11th: Taylor Walls
- 12th: Yandy Diaz
- 13th: Travis Jankowski
- 14th: Brandon Lowe
- 15th: Drew Rasmussen
- 16th: Curtis Mead
- 17th: Junior Caminero
- 18th: Zack Littell
- 19th: Zack Littell
- 20th: Junor Caminero