Driscoll (1st MLB HR) at the center of Rays' victory

CLEVELAND -- While the Rays technically aren’t out of the playoff hunt, it’s safe to say that the remaining games on their schedule are just as much about player development as they are about crashing the postseason party.

They got the best of both those worlds on Friday night when catching prospect Logan Driscoll smashed his first career home run in a 3-1 win over the Guardians at Progressive Field.

Driscoll’s home run took place one batter after Jose Siri came millimeters away from recording a homer of his own when he lined a 94.1 mph fastball from Tanner Bibee that landed at the top of the wall in straightaway center.

It looked like the ball was gone at first -- Siri even raised his right arm towards the bullpen in celebration -- but it bounced back into play, which led to his home run trot turning into a sprint that ended at third base.

Siri was able to jog the remaining 90 feet two pitches later when Driscoll crushed a hanging slider to right field for his first MLB homer.

“It never gets old,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s such a likable guy and such a good teammate. He came up huge at a big point.”

It left the bat at 105.5 mph and traveled a Statcast-projected 393 feet. It would have been a home run in all 30 MLB parks. After the game, Driscoll said he got the ball back from the fan who caught it in exchange for a signed bat.

“It’s one of those things you don’t realize in the moment until the game ended,” Driscoll said. “Then I was able to process things.”

The majestic blast is just another example of Driscoll’s power at a position that the Rays have gotten next-to-no production from. Entering play on Friday, Tampa Bay catchers had combined to hit just .197 (the second-worst mark in the Majors) with eight home runs. Driscoll hit .292/.367/.473 with seven homers and 24 doubles in 70 Triple-A games this season prior to being called up.

While the Rays have some catching help coming down the chute in the form of prospects Dominic Keegan (the club’s No. 13 prospect) and Kenny Piper, Driscoll (who was acquired from the Padres in 2020) has the rest of the season to showcase his potential on the biggest stage.

The 26-year-old also showcased his aptitude behind the plate, as starting pitcher Zack Littell had his best outing since coming back from the injured list (6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 K’s) before Kevin Kelly, Mason Montgomery and Edwin Uceta combined for one run over the last three innings to close out the win.

The dominant outing from Littell was the product of nearly a week of preparation from Driscoll.

“He did a great job,” Littell said of his catcher. “He’s been asking me all week how I wanted to approach this game, and I really wanted to leave it in his hands. That’s the only way you’re going to learn.”

Uceta was lights-out in his first outing since serving a two-game suspension, as he struck out Will Brennan and got Andrés Giménez to ground out -- with each representing the tying run -- in the eighth inning before setting the Guardians down 1-2-3 in the ninth.

“He’s done that every outing but [two],” Cash said. “He’s really set the bar high for himself.”

After the game, Uceta said that he kept his routine during his suspension in preparation for his return.

“Not a lot has changed since the last time I pitched [on Sept. 11],” Uceta said with communications director Elvis Martinez translating.

Driscoll’s homer helped set the tone for a bountiful night for the bottom of the Rays’ lineup, as he, Siri and Taylor Walls combined to go 4-for-10 with Driscoll’s two-run homer accounting for 66 percent of Tampa Bay’s runs. Jonathan Aranda added the Rays’ other run with a solo home run in the fourth inning.

“[The bottom of the lineup] had some big at-bats,” Cash said. “It’s good for those guys to feel some success.”

While this season hasn’t gone the way the Rays have expected, they’ve now gone 4-1 this season against the Guardians and have two more chances to put a dent in Cleveland’s lead in the AL Central.

“When you’re on the outside looking in, it’s kind of easy to check out a little bit, but it’s been a general theme throughout the clubhouse of all of us trying to stay locked in,” Littell said. “We’re all still kind of playing [like we’re] not out of it.”