Rays' Michael Perez: Plates pair in one-run win
Perez went 2-for-5 with a two-run single and a run in a win over the Red Sox on Monday.
Operating out of the bottom of the order, Perez came through with a clutch single in the fourth inning that brought the Rays to within a run after an early 4-0 deficit. The backup catcher has made his presence felt with the bat in recent games, as he provided what turned out to be a game-winning sacrifice fly Friday against the Yankees and then laced a walkoff single versus New York on Sunday as well. Given that primary backstop Mike Zunino is now slashing an unsightly .097/.222/.226 over his first 13 games, it's conceivable the left-handed hitting Perez sees more opportunities against right-handed pitching with the short season restricting how long managers can give struggling players a chance to break out of slumps.
