The Rays have long embraced a “next-man-up” mentality, and their recent series against the Houston Astros was no exception. With Shawn Armstrong’s departure at the trade deadline, the team needed a fresh opening pitcher. Enter Hunter Bigge, making his first career start for the Rays on Saturday at Minute Maid Park. A former minor league reliever with 159 innings across 123 appearances, Bigge was quickly tested.

A Rocky Start for Bigge

In the bottom of the first inning, Bigge faced immediate trouble. He walked Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez, putting the Astros in a prime scoring position with no outs. When Yainer Diaz singled to right field to load the bases, the situation looked dire. Yet, Bigge maintained his composure and struck out Jeremy Peña, keeping the game scoreless and marking the end of his day. Manager Kevin Cash turned to Tyler Alexander, who quickly took control.

Alexander’s Impressive Relief

Alexander came in and needed only three pitches to finish the inning, striking out Jon Singleton. His strong performance continued throughout the game. In the third inning, after Dylan Carlson’s leadoff double and Brandon Lowe’s RBI double gave the Rays a 1-0 lead, Alexander showcased his athleticism. He outpaced Altuve to first base on a grounder, a crucial play that preserved the narrow lead. Alexander’s dominant showing included 4.1 innings where he allowed only two hits and one walk while striking out five, earning him the win.

Maintaining the Lead

Despite a scare in the sixth inning when Yandy Díaz was hit on the wrist by an Alvarez liner and had to leave the game (later confirmed as day-to-day after negative X-rays), the Rays’ bullpen kept the Astros at bay. Edwin Uceta and Manuel Rodríguez were particularly effective, especially Rodríguez in the eighth inning, striking out both Altuve and Alvarez to maintain the advantage.

In a tense ninth inning, José Siri started with a double, and Taylor Walls drew a walk, putting the Rays in a solid position to extend their lead. However, Jonny DeLuca’s sharp liner was intercepted by Altuve, who doubled up Siri to end the threat.

Fairbanks Seals the Deal

Pete Fairbanks took the mound in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. He induced a groundout from Yainer Diaz, struck out Jeremy Peña, and finally got Singleton to strike out swinging, clinching the save and securing the 1-0 victory.

This latest win underscores the resilience of a Rays team that has now climbed three games above .500 for just the third time this season. Winning 10 of their last 13 series, they find themselves five games out of the third wild card spot. The path to potential postseason success will require maintaining this form, beginning with their next game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. ET.