OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Tampa Bay Rays trailed by a run and were down to their last out with nobody on base against Oakland Athletics closer Santiago Casilla in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday night.

No chance for the Rays? Not this year.

Tampa Bay rallied to score two runs, and closer Alex Colome pitched a scoreless ninth for his 28th save in an improbable 4-3 victory over the A's at the Oakland Coliseum.

"I think the team has spoken loud and clear about how they feel about one another and how capable we are of winning games," said Rays manager Kevin Cash, who watched the final 4 1/3 innings from his office after being ejected by plate umpire Bill Welke for arguing a called third strike on Steven Souza Jr. "But to do it in that situation, a pretty special win."

Tampa Bay remained two games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East and won for the sixth time in the past seven games.

Catcher Wilson Ramos, who returned to the lineup after missing three games with a sore left hamstring, singled sharply off Casilla with two outs, keeping the Rays' chances alive.

Pinch runner Mallex Smith went to second on a wild pitch and stole third base, and Brad Miller walked. Adeiny Hechavarria grounded an RBI single to right, bringing home Smith to tie the score. Shane Peterson, a former Athletic, lined a single to right, driving in Miller for the go-ahead run.

"There's really no other way to describe it other than it was an awesome feeling," Peterson said. "It's something in your career, playing baseball, playing any sport, winning's the most important thing, and when you as an individual get an opportunity to help your team win in a big situation and the rest of the team feels it, they feed off it, you just continue to take it in and hopefully get more opportunities like that."

Peterson, who was recalled from Triple-A Durham on June 23, has five doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs in just 69 at-bats.

"I've been in spots that have been big," Peterson said. "We've been winning, which is another huge thing, and I've been fortunate to have the opportunity up here to be playing."

Thirty-six-year-old Chris Smith pitched seven strong innings for the A's and left the game with a 3-2 lead. He appeared headed for his second career major league win and first as a starter, but after reliever Blake Treinen pitched a perfect eighth inning, Casilla (2-4) faltered.

"I was thinking about all the tickets I left and all the people that wanted to see me," Smith said. "I was staying in the dugout to see them and take pictures. Then I was thinking about running the bases with my daughters. Kind of took my mind off of what was going on. But yeah, it's unfortunate."

Smith's first 63 major league appearances came in relief. He has filled in twice for right-hander Jharel Cotton, who is on the disabled list with a blister on his right thumb. Smith allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out four and walking two.

"He just keeps you off balance," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "He's not throwing 95, but he's on the corners, reads swings well, isn't afraid to throw his changeup in any count."

Souza hit his 20th home run for Tampa Bay, a leadoff blast in the third inning.

Khris Davis hit his 27th home run of the season for the A's, a two-run shot in the first inning.

Rays left-hander Blake Snell allowed three runs on three hits over four innings with six strikeouts and three walks. Snell lasted less than six innings for the 11th straight start.

Tampa Bay's Erasmo Ramirez threw three perfect innings with two strikeouts in relief. Andrew Kittredge made his major league debut, allowing one hit and no runs in two-thirds of an inning. Adam Kolarek (1-0) got the final out in the eighth and earned his first major league win.

"Erasmo Ramirez is as big a part as any as to why we won the game," Cash said.

The A's struck quickly, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Khris Davis' two-run shot. After Rajai Davis grounded a leadoff single to right, Snell struck out Marcus Semien and Ryon Healy, but Khris Davis crushed a first-pitch changeup over the center field fence.

Tampa Bay cut the Athletics' lead to 2-1 in the second inning with an unearned run and pulled even in the third when Souza lined a leadoff homer into the left field seats.

The A's moved ahead 3-2 in the fourth. Snell opened the inning by walking Khris Davis and Jed Lowrie. Davis tagged up and raced to third on Matt Chapman's fly ball out to deep center and scored on a wild pitch.

NOTES: RHP Chaz Roe was acquired by Tampa Bay from the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations and was assigned to Triple-A Durham. In 93 major league appearances over parts of five seasons with the Diamondbacks, Yankees, Orioles and Braves, he is 7-2 with a 4.16 ERA. ... A's rookie 3B Matt Chapman committed his first career error in his 16th game, booting a ground ball in the second inning, but he made a handful of stellar defensive plays after that. . ... A's INF Ryon Healy made his 18th start at first base this season, as regular 1B Yonder Alonso was out of the lineup.