Rays Beat Twins 6-2 on Caminero, Aranda Multi-HR Nights

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda each hit two home runs to power the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night, securing the opener of a three-game series at Tropicana Field.

Caminero, the Rays' rookie third baseman, opened the scoring with a 450-foot solo home run to center field in the first inning, the longest of his career. He added a two-run shot, measured at 435 feet, in the seventh inning off reliever Jorge Alcala, extending Tampa Bay's lead to 6-1 and driving in three runs total. The performance marked Caminero's fifth multihomer game and continued a hot streak in which he has hit six home runs over his last nine games.

Aranda contributed with a solo home run down the right field line to start the fourth inning, making the score 3-0, and followed with another 414-foot drive to right field leading off the sixth, pushing the lead to 4-1. Those were his sixth and seventh home runs of the season.

The Rays built their early advantage methodically. In the third inning, Nick Fortes doubled to lead off, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Walls and scored on a groundout by Chandler Simpson to make it 2-0.