ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Danny Valencia hit his first two home runs of the season in his first game back from a hamstring injury and the Oakland Athletics beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Friday night to end a five-game skid.
Valencia sat for two games this week after reinjuring the left hamstring that had landed him on the disabled list. He had two of Oakland’s four homers in this one.
Rich Hill (5-3) pitched six innings to win for the fourth time in his last five starts. A diving catch by Valencia at third base helped Ryan Madson work out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to earn his ninth save.
Khris Davis and Valencia homered off Rays starter Jake Odorizzi (0-2) in the first inning, driving in all four runs in a 42-pitch inning. Davis’ three-run homer was his eighth of the season.
