On the next pitch, Varland induced a ground ball to shortstop Brooks Lee, who bobbled the ball and made an off-balance throw to the plate that was high and dropped by catcher Christian Vázquez.
“We need to make the plays,” Vázquez said. “That’s all, you know. That’s the only way we get out of trouble, making plays and getting better at that.”
Dylan Carlson extended the Rays’ rally with a bunt single, and José Caballero grounded an RBI single through the left side of the infield on a two-strike curveball that caught too much of the plate.
With runners on the corners again, Varland induced another ground ball. Royce Lewis, making his first career start at second base, threw to the plate in a three-run game and Vázquez failed to secure the ball after it bounced about a foot in front of him. Caballero and Ben Rortvedt both took an extra base when Vázquez chased after the ball.
“I think when a player makes a mistake, he learns,” Santana said. “I’ll keep talking to the younger guys. Especially with Lewis, he’s at a new position at second base. His whole career, he’s played third base. It’s new for him, so I try to keep saying, ‘Hey, that happens. Keep working hard.’”
Varland was knocked out of the game after Taylor Walls hit a first-pitch fastball to center for a two-run single, and Díaz homered on a down-the-middle sinker in a 2-0 count.
