If there’s one thing that’s been true of these Rays all season, it’s been that they never say die. They refused to give up on the season long after most fans and analysts had written them off, and here they are playing meaningful baseball on the very last game of the season.
And tonight’s game is certainly no exception. The Rays went down in an early 7-0 hole to the Yankees, as David Price simply didn’t have his best stuff and allowed multiple home runs. And after getting two-hit over the course of seven innings, the Rays finally broke through in the eighth, scoring six runs and roaring back to make this a ballgame.
The Rays scored these runs off Boone Logan and Luis Ayala, and it all started with a soft single by Johnny Damon. Ben Zobrist then doubled and Casey Kotchman was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Sam Fuld walked and Sean Rodriguez was hit by a pitch, knocking in two runs, and then B.J. Upton hit a sacrifice fly to bring the Rays to within four. And then lo and behold, Evan Longoria lowered his mighty boom stick and hit a monster three-run home run — his 30th of the season — and the Rays were only one run back.
Strap on tight, folks. This could be a wild ninth inning.