Carson Williams homers in his big league debut as Rays beat Cardinals 10-6

By: The Associated Press Posted: 9:58 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 22, 2025

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Carson Williams hit a two-run homer in his major league debut, All-Star Junior Caminero hit his 36th longball and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 10-6 on Friday night.

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Williams’ drive to center in the seventh inning made it 9-6 and set off a raucous celebration by his family in the stands. He also had an RBI infield single in the third. The 22-year-old shortstop was the Rays’ top-rated prospect when he was called up on Thursday.

Brandon Lowe and Tristan Gray also homered for the Rays, and Jake Mangum had three hits and two RBIs.

Tampa Bay Rays' Carson Williams celebrates in the dugout after his two-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Fernandez during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Rookie Nathan Church hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals in the seventh for his first career hit. Willson Contreras hit a two-run drive later in the inning to get St. Louis within 7-6.

Williams reached on a second-inning throwing error by Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman, who has five errors this month. The rookie’s first hit came on a grounder that Gorman couldn’t handle.

Adrian Houser (7-4) allowed four runs over 6 1/3 innings for the Rays. The Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas (6-10) gave up 10 hits and five runs (four earned) in 2 2/3 innings.

Lowe’s homer off Mikolas was his 25th, and Gray’s was his first.

Key moment

Williams was picked off after his infield hit in the third that made it 4-1, but Bob Seymour followed with an RBI single and Gray walked to end Mikolas’ night.

Key stat

Caminero’s 36 homers rank sixth in the majors. The 22-year-old is playing his first full season.

Up next

The teams get a rare Saturday off before concluding their series Sunday. Mathew Liberatore (6-10, 4.13 ERA) is slated to start for the Cardinals against the Rays’ Ryan Pepiot (8-10, 3.95).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb