Caminero's 37th homer, Pepiot start make long day worth it for Rays

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Aug 24, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

TAMPA, Fla. — After waiting through a nearly 4 1/2 hour rain delay to play Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rays made it entertaining and rewarding for the couple thousand fans who stuck around Steinbrenner Field.

Ryan Pepiot pitched five strong innings, allowing one hit.

Junior Caminero hit a fifth-inning grand slam for his 37th homer of the season, which also marked a personal milestone.

Chandler Simpson raced around the bases for a two-run triple.

And the Rays recorded a 7-2 win.

The victory was their second straight, improving them to 63-67.

Caminero had the biggest hit of the afternoon/evening, stepping in against reliever Matt Svanson after former Rays prospect Matthew Liberatore (sent to St. Louis in the Randy Arozarena trade) walked the bases loaded in the fifth and was taken out.

Caminero, who turned 22 on July 5, swung at the first pitch and laced an opposite-field drive well over the right-field fence that was estimated at 381 feet.

It was the 37th homer of his remarkable season and particularly meaningful to Caminero, as it tied Albert Pujols for most by a Dominican-born player in his age 21 season (age as of June 30). Caminero has spoken reverently of Pujols and played on the Escogido team Pujols managed in the Dominican winter league.

Pepiot sailed through five innings, allowing just a two-out single in the third and a two-out walk in the fourth, while throwing only 63 pitches. His early removal seemed based on innings management; he now has thrown 153 this season after just 130 in a 2024 season twice interrupted by injury.

Simpson, among the fastest runners in the game, hit a ball to the right of center with two on and two outs in the sixth, and turned on the jets to get to third, just before catcher Nick Fortes scored from first.

The Rays used Edwin Uceta for the sixth inning and Mason Montgomery to start the seventh, then summoned Brian Van Belle to finish in his major-league debut.

____