Rays connect again as Arozarena, Paredes homer in win over White Sox

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The wins, of course, are the most important thing, and the Rays on Tuesday extended their streak to five straight with a 5-1 victory over the White Sox at Tropicana Field.

The City Connect uniforms have gotten a nice bump in attention, as the Rays’ fortunes turned with Friday’s debut of the gray-and-back, neon-accented, skateboard-themed threads and have taken them off only to be washed.

But it also matters, in a very good way, how the Rays are getting there, which is by playing much better baseball and getting contributions from throughout the roster.

Tuesday, that was a dominant seven-inning start by Zach Eflin, who logged his first win in more than a month. Also:

— A home run from a warming Randy Arozarena, who went deep for the third time in his last five games and nudged his average to .152.

— A home run by Isaac Paredes, pushing his team-leading total to eight and extending his own hot streak.

— And another clutch hit by Harold Ramirez, who had a career-high-matching four on Monday.

The win improved the Rays to 19-18, the first time they’ve been over .500 since April 21.

It also sets them up for a payback sweep of the White Sox who, despite going into the April 26-28 series with a majors-low three wins, took three straight in Chicago.

The Rays’ two-run rally in the second off Sox starter Michael Soroka started when Paredes led off with a single and Richie Palacios walked. Ramirez delivered an RBI single. Jonny DeLuca walked to load the bases, and Palacios scored when Ben Rortvedt grounded into a double play.

The Rays doubled the margin in the third, when Yandy Diaz reached on an error by shortstop Paul DeJong and Arozarena capped a nine-pitch at-bat that started with two swing-and-misses with a 363-foot homer to left.

Paredes made it 5-0 when he led off the sixth with a homer, like all of his others, to left. It also came on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, this one 404 feet.

Eflin allowed one run, on a DeJong homer, with two outs in the seventh, then gave up back-to-back singles before retiring Gavin Sheets on his 94th and final pitch of the night. Phil Maton and Manuel Rodriguez finished.