BOSTON — Junior Caminero is known for how hard he swings the bat.
Monday, he delivered at the biggest moment in the Rays’ 10-8 11-inning win by not swinging — drawing a bases-loaded two-out walk to put the Rays ahead to stay.
“That was a great at-bat,” catcher Danny Jansen said. “That was basically the game right there. So to take those pitches that are that close and take the walk is great.”
Caminero, 21, said he understood the importance of the situation.
“In that moment, I just need to be patient,” he said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “I want to be patient. Like, people are going crazy and they’re trying to get the focus out of you. I just needed to be patient, and that’s what I did.”
Manager Kevin Cash was also impressed.
“Looked like he was really disciplined,” he said. “Laid off some close pitches, didn’t expand. There’s a lot of guys that are trying to run balls in on him right now to get him, to find space in there to get off his barrel a little bit. But he didn’t offer at a couple, took a ball down and away for the walk. So, a big at-bat.”
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Ian Seymour’s Monday debut was special in several ways. He is the first pitcher in Rays history to make his debut in extra innings. He is the third pitcher in modern major-league history (since 1901) to debut and earn a win in extra innings while working in two innings with no hits or runs. And he is the fourth Ray to earn the win in relief in his major-league debut, joining Andrew Bellatti (May 9, 2015), Seth McClung (March 31, 2003) and Doug Waechter (Aug. 27, 2003) — who was at Fenway on Monday doing the radio broadcast.
Fenway first-timers
Monday marked the Fenway Park debuts of several Rays rookies, with leftfielder Jake Mangum and centerfielder Kameron Misner having the usually challenging task of playing in front of the 37-foot Green Monster wall.
But they had a bit of an advantage: Durham’s home park has a similar feature, a 32-foot high leftfield wall known as the Blue Monster.
So while there was some pre-game work to be done on specifics such as balls coming off the scoreboard and ladder above it, Mangum said it was somewhat familiar.
“I’ve got a good idea how to play off the leftfield wall,” Mangum said. “A year of that, you kind of learn the angle a little bit.”
Mangum, Misner and Seymour all participated in another Fenway first-time ritual, going inside the Monster and signing the wall.
“This is a dream come true for baseball players,” Mangum said. “To get to play in Fenway Park, that’s an honor. … It was really cool to get in the wall and sign your names. I couldn’t stop smiling doing it.”
Added Misner: “This is awesome. Signing the wall was pretty cool.”
Reliever Eric Orze also made his first Fenway trip as a big-leaguer.
And by the end of the 11-inning win?
“Really cool first night in Fenway,” Mangum said. “Man, that was sick. Like, really, really cool.”
McClanahan’s next step unclear
After Shane McClanahan threw off the mound at full distance Saturday for the time since his late spring triceps nerve issue, manager Kevin Cash said all went well.
But not well enough to continue his planned throwing progression as Cash said Monday that the team was unsure what the next step would be for the ace lefty.
“I don’t know, I really don’t know,” Cash said. “He’s not handling not feeling 100 % well.”
Miscellany
Durham right-hander Joe Boyle, an offseason trade acquisition from the A’s, won International League Pitcher of the Week honors for the third time this season. … With his 20-day rehab assignment at Durham ending Saturday, infielder Ha-Seong Kim is hitting .206 overall, though he is 5-for-his-last 11. …. Dewayne Staats is taking this trip off, so Andy Freed is handling TV duties with Brian Anderson, and Doug Waechter is joining Neil Solondz in the radio booth.
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