Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta works against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER (AP) — Ben Williamson scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch in the 11th inning and Junior Caminero added a two-out RBI single as Tampa Bay rallied to beat Colorado 9-7 on Tuesday night after the Rockies roughed up Freddy Peralta in his Rays debut.
Williamson, the automatic runner at second base, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Walls and scampered home on a wild pitch by Nick Frasso (0-1), who was making his major league debut. That gave Tampa Bay an 8-7 lead before Yandy Diaz doubled and scored on Caminero’s single.
Jonathan Aranda hit a two-run single off Rockies closer Jordan Romano to tie it at 7 in the ninth.
Liam Hicks launched a grand slam in his Rays debut off rookie Gabriel Hughes to give Peralta a 5-1 lead in the third. Hicks was acquired from Miami at the trade deadline Monday. The catcher’s 15th homer was the first slam for Tampa Bay this season.
Peralta lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs and nine hits. He went 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA before coming over from the Mets in a trade Sunday. The two-time All-Star was 0-4 in his final seven starts for New York and hasn’t won since pitching five innings in an 8-1 victory over the Braves on June 14.
Mickey Moniak homered and drove in four runs for Colorado. Willi Castro added his career-high 13th homer — a two-run shot that put the Rockies up 7-5 in the fourth.
Hughes gave up five runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings with two walks and seven strikeouts in his fifth start.
Garrett Cleavinger (4-3) got the final two outs in the 10th for the win and Bryan Baker struck out two in a scoreless 11th for his 32nd save in 35 opportunities.
