Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t look good early for the Tampa Bay Rays, who have been hot lately and launched themselves back into American League wild-card position.
But the Rays erased a 6-0 deficit in three blinks of the eye, getting three two-run homers all in the fourth inning to tie the game 6-6. The game stayed that way all the way until the 10th inning, when Kevin Kiermaier scored the seventh and winning run on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Two very different ways to score, but it added up to another crucial win for Tampa Bay.
We were down 6-0 at one point. #RaysUp
RECAP // https://t.co/0YyXStbF3W pic.twitter.com/eF7JkHOZ75
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 7, 2019
A bad situation
The Rays, having already lost 2-0 to the hapless Jays in Monday’s tepid affair, looked like Tuesday would be the start of a losing streak. Cavan Biggio was the latest Toronto rookie (and prodigy offspring of a former Major Leaguer) to do serious damage, and the Rays were staring at losing a series to a team that entered the week at 45-69.
Then the long ball came to the rescue. Avisail Garcia, late of the White Sox, hit the first two-run blast against Blue Jays starter Trent Thornton. 6-2. After a strikeout and another single, Willy Adames hit his two-run homer. 6-4. Then, with two outs — you guessed it — a two-run homer, this one from Austin Meadows, for a 6-6 tie.
Just like that, Thornton was gone and the game was tied.
But the Rays weren’t done. Their pitching staff settled down but the offense dried up too, and the game stayed tied all the way into the 10th inning.
That’s when they struck with speed instead of strength. Kiermaier led off with a routine ground-ball single into right field, but he sped around first and stretched it into a hustle double. After a walk and a bunt single, the bases were loaded with no outs.
But still the Rays couldn’t finish the job. Tommy Pham and D’Arnaud struck out. Then, with Meadows at the plate, a pitch in the dirt went to the backstop and Kiermaier raced home to win it.
Butterfly stance or catchers stance, the 5-hole is open for business. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/TXoUj8csM5
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 7, 2019
Moving on up
The Rays are still nine games behind the surging Yankees in the American League East. But the wild card is a very realistic path to the playoffs.
Tampa Bay, which has won eight of its past 10 games, is a half-game ahead of Oakland for the last playoff spot and 1.5 games behind Cleveland for the first wild card.
Exciting wins like Tuesday’s will only help that effort.
#Rays Kiermaier on late-game drama in beating #BlueJays: pic.twitter.com/JNEcWMVmsc
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 7, 2019
