Game 1: Runs were scare in an unusual Publix Park game but the Rays ended up with both of 'em when Jose Machado hit a walk-off homer (#5) for the second time in five games to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 win in 10 innings. Before then Randy Mastropietro went 6 5 0 0 0 2 and Edgar Voisin pitched the 9th and 10th to improve to 6-7. Like the game before Machado came off the bench to deliver his heroics although this time he wasn't technically a pinch-hitter as he replaced Alex Brown who himself had been pinch-hit for earlier.
Game 2: Dantel Chinchilla remained about as hot as I've seen a player as he led the Rays to an 8-2 win over the Mariners. The 2B was 3-3 with 2 doubles, a 2-run homer (#15) and 4 RBI on the day while Nesty de la Rosa added a 2-run blast of his own (#22) and Ezequiel Avalos went solo (#28). Manny Cervantes (5-3) was a solid 6 8 2 2 0 6 for the win.
Game 3: Tampa Bay saw its 7-game win streak come to an end in the final as they fell 4-2 to Seattle. Tim Johnson (5-7) was in good form in his return to the rotation to replace the injured Ben Hilton at 6 5 3 2 1 8 but received scant support, although Jose Lozada did hit a solo shot (#11).
Team record: 94-55. The Yankees did lose 2 of 3 so the Rays are now only 4 games back, but with only 13 games left the loss in the finale really hurt as 3 games would have been a lot more manageable. Next up: off to the West Coast to play 3 in Anaheim.
In the least surprising news of the year:
Chinchilla is now up to a career-high 4.2 WAR which includes Gold Glove-caliber D at 2B.