Order restored, but at a cost...
The Rays got a much-needed 6-2 win over Boston to even the ALDS, but it came a price as SS Jeff Baez was lost for the playoffs with a strained rib cage muscle. Light-hitting Melvin Gutierrez will now be the everyday SS, and I really don't have another SS to cover so here's hoping he stays healthy. Robbie Salazar, a 2B, was called up to take Baez's place on the roster. We also had injury problems in the 1st inning when Leo Ortega had to leave with a back issue. It's not too serious and if we make the ALCS he'll be available to make his scheduled start. That pressed Nate Thompson into action, and it's rare (if not unheard of) for a team to have a 21-game winner not make its playoff rotation but Thompson came in and did alright in his 4 innings of work, picking up the win despite allowing two runs. Billy Hoyte was brilliant in his two innings while Mike Wherry shouldn't have been pushed into a second; he put the first two on in the 9th and Tim Siqueiros had to save the day. On offense the top of the order came through as Jaiden Hardaway and Dayle Jenkins combined for 5 hits and 3 RBI while Bo Angeac homered. And before he had to leave, Baez contributed an RBI double.
In the other ALDS:
Big win for the Twins in another low-scoring affair between these teams to even things up.