The Rays' failure to score runs after the 5th inning or so finally caught up with them tonight as Texas overcame Tampa Bay leads of 3-0 and 4-3 to come back and beat the Rays 5-4 and pull the series within 2-1. If things get turned around for Texas tonight will be known as the "Wander Franco revenge game" as the former Rays superstar blasted a tie-breaking homer in the 8th off Daniel Espino to give the Rangers the win. The Rays took an early 3-0 lead on another great hit-and-run with Keibert Ruiz as he doubled in Connor Kirkley, Ricky Widmar singled him home and Nate Clark doubled home Widmar. Alec Sachais couldn't do wrong through the first 3 innings and then couldn't get anyone out in the 4th as he gave up 3 runs to let Texas equalize, and after Widmar put the Rays back on top in the 5th with a sac fly, Andy Aparicio was greeted by a double and a single from the first 2 batters he's faced this postseason to tie the game. And while the offense went quiet, Franco took Espino deep to win it. Bobby Witt Jr walked with one out in the 9th but was thrown out attempting to steal to nip any rally in the bud. Jack Leiter will try to keep the Rangers from tying up the series tomorrow.
Over in the NLCS:
Think the Rays blew a lead tonight? The Dodgers were up 6-1 and looking to go up 3-1 in the series before Arizona came back to beat them 9-7 and even it up. And yes, still another former Ray figured into things tonight, albeit in a bad way. Dean Christidis, who was briefly up with the Rays in 2025, was torched for 6 runs in 1 1/3 innings in relief for the Dodgers. Among the hits and runs against him, Gavin Lux had a 2-run homer against his old team.