This time, Arozarena's power pays off for Rays

Randy Arozarena keeps hitting, and Tuesday's effort helped pull his team even in the series.

A night after homering in a three-hit performance, Tampa Bay’s No. 19 prospect belted another long ball and added a single to help lead the Rays to a 7-5 win over the Yankees, leveling their best-of-5 American League Division Series at a game apiece.

Arozarena didn’t wait long to extend his hot-hitting ways. The outfielder gave Tampa Bay a lead it did not relinquish with his solo homer on a liner to right field in the bottom of the first inning.

Dandy Randy.#Rays No. 19 prospect Randy Arozarena flexing his 💪once again with his second homer in as many nights.pic.twitter.com/ck7WsxC6lD

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) October 7, 2020

After grounding out to third base in the third, the 25-year-old again found the hit column in the fourth when he laced a single to right. He struck out swinging in his final at-bat in the sixth.

In four playoff games this season, Arozarena is 9-for-16 (.563) with two homers, a triple and two doubles. He has scored six times and driven in three runs.

"Arozarena has to be the best baseball player on earth right now,” Rays starter Tyler Glasnow told the media after the win. “Just being able to sit back and watch what he does is phenomenal."

The Havana native is just continuing the stellar work he did at the plate to finish the regular season. After spending most of the season’s first month at Tampa Bay’s alternate training site, Arozarena was summoned to the big leagues on Aug. 30. In 21 September games, Arozarena batted .288/.377/.678 with seven homers and 11 RBIs.

"Randy, it’s unbelievable what he’s doing right now," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash added.

New York turned to its No. 3 prospect, Deivi Garcia, on the mound to start the contest. The 21-year-old righty became the youngest postseason starting pitcher in Yankees history, but went just one inning before New York went to its bullpen. Garcia was charged with Arozarena’s homer as his only blemish in the first, facing five batters and throwing 16 of 27 pitches for strikes.

In other action:

Dodgers 5, Padres 1 (NLDS Game 1)

San Diego's No. 6 prospect Ryan Weathers, who hadn't pitched about Class A since being drafted in 2018, was added to San Diego’s National League Division Series roster and made his unorthodox big league debut in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers. Weathers pitched 1 1/3 hitless frames out of bullpen, working around two walks and striking out a batter. The 20-year-old lefty threw 30 pitches, 16 for strikes. Box score