October 16:
They did it! They had to overcome another mediocre start from Matt Manning but the bats came to play in a 9-5 Game 5 win over Cleveland to advance to the ALCS against the Angels. Manning gave up HRs to Nolan Jones in the 1st and Jake Bauers in the 3rd but the Rays answered with runs of their own, including Austin Meadows' third HR of the series. Manning actually was on a decent roll through the 4th and 5th innings and the Rays took the lead in the 5th but he came unglued in the 6th, loading the bases and giving up a run. Evan Godwin came in and nearly got out of it with that one run scoring but he gave up an RBI single and Cleveland was back ahead 4-3. In the bottom of the inning Spencer Torkelson led off and reached on an error, and made it to third with one out. But Alec Bohm struck out and it looked like another opportunity wasted before Hunter Bishop, 1-for-18 at the time in the series, stepped up and drilled a Ryne Stanek fastball into the RF stands to put the Rays in front to stay at 5-4. Godwin got 2 out in the 7th and gave way to Nick Anderson, who got through the inning. And in the bottom of the frame the Rays blew it open on a 2-run single from Tork and a 2-run double by Alec Bohm. Anderson pitched through the 8th and although Jose Alvarado gave up a run in the 9th, he got the final 3 outs and the Rays pulled out yet another ALDS comeback.
Next up: The League Championship Series.