The Tampa Bay Rays outlasted the San Francisco Giants in a wild 7-6 slugfest Friday night, surviving a late rally thanks to Chandler Simpson's electric performance at the plate. Simpson, the sparkplug atop Tampa's lineup, torched Giants pitching with a 3-for-5 night—including two runs scored and three RBIs—while seeing 13 pitches in a relentless display of patience and contact. His aggression set the tone early as the Rays jumped on Landen Roupp for five runs in just three innings, with Junior Caminero adding a towering homer among his two runs scored. Tampa's bullpen barely held on, with Garrett Cleavinger striking out the side in a critical 1-2-3 sixth inning to stem San Francisco's momentum.

The Giants refused to go quietly, with Willy Adames launching a solo shot and Christian Koss delivering a pair of clutch hits in a three-run eighth that pulled them within one. But after burning through six pitchers—including Randy Rodriguez allowing the decisive seventh run—Tampa's Pete Fairbanks slammed the door in the ninth. The victory keeps the Rays' playoff hopes alive, while the Giants' late-game heroics weren't enough to overcome Simpson's career night and their own early defensive lapses.