Game 1: It took until the 9th inning, but the Rays made history today by winning their 130th game of the season (and 20th straight) to break the MLB single-season team wins record they set in 2033, 6-3 over Toronto. The historic rally started with a one-out solo HR from Danny Ayala (#52) to break a 3-3 tie in the top of the 9th, and then they put a couple more on, one of whom scored on a passed ball and the other on a Dayle Jenkins triple (his 99th RBI). Tim Siqueiros got win #2 with a scoreless 8th in relief of Nate Thompson, who missed out on a team record-tying 22nd win of the year but pitched well overall at 7 3 3 2 2 5 to finish the year 21-5, 4.10. Kikuo Kawase put a couple on, but nailed down save #42 to clinch the record-setting win. Also with a 3-hit day today, Jaiden Hardaway took over the AL batting lead at .365 over Houston's Alex Padilla at .362.
MLB News: Columbus and St. Louis are playoff-bound, but they both continue to suffer significant injuries heading into the postseason. Already without 3 of their starters including reigning NL Cy Young winner Fabian Petrovich, the Lightning have lost superstar 3B Cristhian Rodriguez for two weeks. And St. Louis, which saw Nate Clark and Jeremy Bienick go on the DL, have now lost their starting 2B Juan Morales for the season.
Playoff Race Update: Well I had given up on any races, but Chicago lost a couple of games and St. Louis then beat them tonight 3-2 to pull to within one game of the NL Central lead. They have two games left with each other, and if Chicago wins either of them the Cubs win the division but a St. Louis sweep would make them division winners. No chance of a tie, of course.
Game 2: The winning just won't stop as the Rays beat Toronto for the second straight day by a 6-3 margin to make it 21 straight and a record 131 wins. Kevin Kerstetter did not sit for a chance to stay undefeated, he took the ball today and went to 21-0 to set the all-time single-season win % for a pitcher. He wasn't his best today, but 5.2 8 3 3 0 5 was good enough for his ERA to finish at 2.46 and his WAR at 5.8. Danny Medina and Mike Wherry (who got save #5) combined to pitch the final 3 1/3 scoreless. The big hit was a 3-run jack from Eric Titcombe (#24) in the 1st while Jeff Baez was 3-3 with a solo HR (#13) and Will Quintana (#8) found the seats as well. And the other Rays ribbie came from Dayle Jenkins, whose 7th-inning RBI single gave him 100, the 4th Ray to reach that mark this year. Bo Angeac came close at 94, he'll likely rest for tomorrow's finale instead of risking injury for a longshot 6-RBI day.
Playoff race update: The Cardinals did it! They won 3-0 to force a winner-takes-all game tomorrow for the NL Central title with the Cubs. Chicago lost its 5th straight game and 8th in their last 10 and will be out of the playoffs entirely if their losing streak extends to 7.
Game 3: The Rays will head into the postseason on a 22-game winning streak as they got by Toronto 3-2 in 11 innings today. The bench was emptied for the finale, and Ron Adams got the spot start today. Adams acquitted himself well, going 6 7 1 1 1 7 and finishing the year 8-4, 3.29 with 125 whiffs in 98 innings. He'll be in next year's rotation with Leo Ortega a free agent. He was in line for the win but Willie Bertone gave up the tying run in the 7th, Billy Hoyte went the 8th, Edgar Rios had two scoreless innings and got the win, and Bob Sirna was called upon in a genuine save situation and got a regular one in addition to a 3-inning job he had earlier this season. Eric Titcombe, who drove in a run in the 2-run first, singled in the game-winner in the top of the 11th and Jon Jimenez had an RBI double for the other 1st inning run. Jaiden Hardaway sat today and won the batting title at .364 to Alex Padilla's .362. Danny Ayala led MLB with 52 HR and 152 RBI, Jon Jimenez led the AL in OPS at 1.035 (barely missing out on the MLB crown to the Mets' Chris McLoughlin at 1.036), Hardaway led MLB in WAR for the third straight year at 9.6, and Kevin Kerstetter and Nate Thompson tied with Texas's Will Diaz for the MLB wins lead at 21.
Final Regular Season Record: 132-30, an MLB record. Next up: The ALDS against either Houston or Boston.
MLB Playoff Update: The Cardinals beat the Cubs 8-4 today to sweep their series and take the NL Central in an epic collapse from Chicago. The game was a microcosm of the season as after Pavin Smith gave the Cubs a 3-0 first-inning lead with a bases-clearing triple, the Cards came back behind a pair of homers from Tyler Gibson.
Hardaway capped what was likely a 3rd straight MVP season with a great month.
The playoff tree:
