ST. PETERSBURG -- His name is Isaac Paredes. That’s eez-AHK puh-RAY-dehs. Also pronounced: Clutch.
With the Rays down to their last strike Saturday afternoon, Paredes delivered a two-run single to defeat the Pirates, 6-5, at Tropicana Field and produce the team’s second consecutive walk-off victory.
Paredes was down 0-2 -- taking a strike from Pirates closer David Bednar, then fouling one back -- before slicing an opposite-field, bases-loaded single to right field that allowed Ji-Man Choi and Vidal Bruján to score.
It was the final bit of drama in Paredes’ five-homer week -- he hit three in Tuesday’s win against the Yankees -- and more evidence that his value goes far beyond what was perceived during his acquisition from the Tigers in the trade that involved former All-Star Austin Meadows.
“Right now, he’s the greatest,’’ said Rays reliever Ralph Garza Jr., who picked up the victory after pitching two shutout innings and keeping the Pirates within striking range. “He’s seeing beach balls up there. He’s locked in a zone. I don’t want to do anything to get him out of his zone.’’
Neither does Rays manager Kevin Cash.
“I didn’t know anything about him [at the time of the trade],’’ Cash said. “You trust our guys [in the front office]. They are difficult decisions at the time. We traded a good player [Meadows]. We certainly feel like we got a good player back. We’ve seen a young player with a lot of confidence who fits well into our mix of lineups.
“He has had a couple of special games here, and he’s picking us up in a big way. He’s fun to watch. He’s obviously seeing the ball well. … He [did] what we saw of him when we acquired him, a guy who was willing to shoot the ball the other way late in counts. He did that and picked us up in a big way.’’
“Try not to think too much and just try to put the ball in play somehow,’’ Paredes said through team interpreter Manny Navarro. “I feel good. Thank God that I’m able to make contact with most balls in the zone right now.’’
The Rays were in a dire circumstance with two outs and nobody on in the ninth inning when Choi faced Bednar. Known for his patience and ability to work a good at-bat, Choi was at 2-2, then laid off a pair of curveballs to draw the walk.
Bruján followed with another walk, then pinch-hitter Jonathan Aranda reached on an infield single. Aranda’s hot bouncer went off the glove of Bednar, who recovered and seemingly had a chance at a bang-bang play, but didn’t throw because his footing wasn’t right.
“All I was thinking was just, ‘Get there … get there,’ ‘’ Aranda said, recounting his determination as he flew down the line.
That brought up Paredes, who had already pulled the Rays to within 5-4 on a two-out solo shot (his team-leading 10th homer) in the eighth. It was Paredes’ fifth homer in his past 12 at-bats (over three games). The game-winning single capped a 3-for-5 afternoon.
The Rays also got productivity from Randy Arozarena (4-for-5, two doubles) and Bruján (two-run single in the first), but it looked like that offensive effort was leading to frustration.
Tampa Bay starter Corey Kluber was lifted with one out in the sixth and the Rays leading, 3-2. He had thrown just 63 pitches. Cash called on left-hander Jalen Beeks because the Pirates were sending up three consecutive lefties.
The move backfired. Beeks had no control. He walked Daniel Vogelbach. Bligh Madris collected a crazy single when his drive caromed off the B-ring catwalk, still in play, but in front of right fielder Josh Lowe, who seemed ready to make an unencumbered catch. Then Jack Suwinski slammed Beeks’ 2-0 offering for a 443-foot, three-run homer into the right-field bleachers, putting the Pirates up, 5-3.
“We felt like with Corey’s recent workload, we were looking for opportunities to pull back,’’ Cash said. “He had been really efficient. He’s going to have an extra day [of rest] now going into the Toronto series.
“We liked the matchup with Jalen. I know it didn’t work that way. But with the string of lefties going right there, Jalen has thrown the ball so well for us this year. It didn’t come easy today for him.’’
But Paredes -- and his ninth-inning supporting cast -- bailed out the Rays. It was another wild postgame celebration for the Rays, who came in after a spirit-sapping performance against the Yankees (losing five of six by a total of seven runs).
“Hopefully, it continues to carry over,’’ Cash said. “We’d like to find a way to win some games with more separation. But these are momentum-builders. It’s good for this group of guys. We are a young group, and they need to feel good.’’
At the moment, no one feels better than Paredes.
“It’s definitely a dream come true,’’ he said.
And it’s definitely a week he will never forget.
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