Rays' Gray, McKay can't make it all OK

Tristan Gray and Brendan McKay provided Class A Advanced Charlotte with the early spark, but Dunedin ultimately rallied to victory Sunday.
The 2017 13th-round Draft pick notched career highs with two homers and seven RBIs and the second-ranked Rays prospect homered on a three-hit day for the Stone Crabs before the Blue Jays rallied to a 14-9 win at Dunedin Stadium.

Gameday box score
Gray had knocked 17 long balls over two professional seasons before registering his first multi-homer game, after also going yard Saturday. He topped the previous high of four RBIs he set last Aug. 29 with Class A Short Season West Virginia against State College.
Sunday's momentum for the Houston native actually began the previous night with a first at-bat strikeout. Gray has been consistent for the bulk of 2018, his averaging hovering between .237 and .261 since May 22, but he's been looking to add power into the mix. As he found out, less is more.
"I realized after that strikeout that I'd been too long with my swing," he said. "Later that game, I shortened it up, took not as big of a load, and it did well with a homer that game. I took that note into today and only settled for pitches I could hit. I waited for mine, and I didn't miss."
After McKay knocked a solo homer to right field -- his fourth of the year -- two at-bats into the game, Gray launched a sacrifice fly to left that plated Robbie Tenerowicz.
In the third, Josh Lowe roped his 25th double to center field. Tampa Bay's No. 15 prospect stands second in the Florida State League in two-baggers to Gray. McKay singled to right and Tenerowicz plated Lowe with an RBI single. Then the Rice alum capped the frame with with a three-run shot to right off starter Maverik Buffo.
"I faced that pitcher earlier, and I could tell he was relying a lot on his changeup," Gray said. "I told myself, 'If he hangs it, be ready.' The first pitch of the at-bat, it was right where I wanted it to be."
Two innings later, McKay doubled to left, Tenerowicz singled and Gray again teed off to right-center to knock Buffo out of the game. Gray lined a single to right in the seventh before flying out to left in the ninth to end his day.
Having McKay -- who rotates between first base and the mound -- at the plate adds an extra level of excitement to games, Gray said. The No. 29 overall prospect has helped the second baseman break down opposing pitchers when he returns to the dugout, and he's found that when McKay impacts the team on offense, the Stone Crabs respond.
"Whenever someone can knock a homer like he did in the first inning, especially him, it really gets you pumped," Gray said. "Now everyone wants to get theirs, and you get the feeling that we're not going to give up, no matter what."
With such consistency at the plate during the bulk of his first full professional season, Gray said he hopes the career afternoon can propel him forward and counteract the slow start to the season. He hit .181 in April.

"I definitely want to finish stronger than I started," he said. "I want to get hot. I want to win. I want to ride this good feeling, because I've seen people get hot off games like this. I know you cool off at some point, but I want to ride this as long as I can."
Tenerowicz collected four hits on the afternoon. But Dunedin took over in the fifth, piling on nine runs the with five extra-base hits. Kacy Clemens bashed a two-run homer to right and Joshua Palacios added a three-RBI double to center.
Alberto Mineo led the Blue Jays at the plate, going 4-for-5 -- including a pair of doubles -- with four RBIs and two runs scored. Brock Lundquist finished 4-for-6 with two RBIs and a run while Blue Jays No. 6 prospect Kevin Smith went 3-for-4 with four runs. Palacios collected three hits and scored twice and Clemens plated three runs.