Bring on the Angels...
What a game, what a comeback. Down 4-0 in the 4th after
Joe Ryan coughed up 3 more homers (including of course one to Austin Hays, who hit 5 in the 4 games) the Rays crept back into the game with 3 solo homers of their own, 2 from
Alex Bregman, who was named Series MVP. Bregman was a controversial acquisition at the deadline, and his inability to hit during his two+ months with the Rays made him a target of boobirds at Tropicana Field. But he's a proven playoff performer and he was acquired to boost us in the postseason, and that's what he did. And it was a big trade made last season that loomed large tonight when
Adley Rutschman homered off the key man he was acquired for, Nick Bitsko, to tie the game leading off the 9th, and the Rays jumped on Bitsko further with a string of hits culminating in
Jarren Duran's 2-run single to make it 6-4. And it was somewhat fitting that
Devin Williams clinched the series by striking out Hays to end the game. Now instead of having to use
Tyler Glasnow to try to win a Game 5, he gets to start Game 1 of the ALCS at the Trop against the Angels.
In the NLDS:
The Mets are in the NLCS after a great game from Sonny Gray (8 5 0 0 1 7) as they beat former Rays Mike Clevinger and today Ryan Yarbrough to sweep the Cubs. Meanwhile the Padres extend their series with the Dodgers after pulling out a win.