Souza Jr. hit a three-run homer in the 10th to lead the Rays to a win./TRAVIS PENDERGRASS
Saturday, 2 a.m.
If this is the way the second half of the baseball season is going to be, then perhaps you should brace yourself for the drama.
The Rays won a come-from-behind 6-4 decision over the Baltimore Orioles Friday night, winning 6-4 in 10 innings. It was the kind of victory, frankly, that can leave you arguing over who was the biggest hero of the game.
Content beyond this point is for members only.
Already a member? To view the rest of this column, sign in using the handy "Sign In" button located in the upper right corner of the GarySheltonSports.com blog (it's at the far right of the navigation bar under Gary's photo)!
Not a member? It's easy to subscribe so you can view the rest of this column and all other premium content on GarySheltonSports.com.
Jumbo Diaz pitched a perfect ninth for the win./JEFFREY S. KING
Was it Adeiny Hechavarria? Hechavarria, obtained earlier in the week from Miami largely for his defense, went four-for-four in the game. More importantly, he knocked in the game-tying run with two out and two strikes in the ninth inning, slapping a singe to left to drive in Shane Peterson.
Then there was Steven Souza Jr., who hit a three-run homer in the 10th to drive in the winning runs. It was Souza's 15th homer of the season.
Maybe it was reliever Alex Colome, who had struggled for the past week. But after giving up a leadoff homer to Mark Trumbo in the bottom of the 10th, Colome settled down and got his 21st save.
Jacob Faria pitched well in a no-decision./STEVEN MUNCIE
And how about Brad Boxberger, the reliever just off the disabled list. Boxberger struck out the side on 13 pitches in the eighth.
Big wins are like this. They lead you ranking the contributers. There was Jacob Faria, who pitched the first 6 2/3 innings, giving up only four hits and two earned runs. There was Peterson, who walked to set up Hechavarria's run-tying single. There was Jumbo Diaz, who pitched a perfect ninth inning to get the win.
“What a win,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “This is a good group of guys. The home run was pretty special in the dugout.”
Cash was asked about Souza being the hero. “If he's being the hero, we're winning,” Cash said.
The Rays had a chance to break open the game earlier, loading the bases with no
Longoria had two hits to help the Rays win./TRAVIS PENDERGRASS
one out in the sixth. A double play and a strikeout got Baltimore out of the inning.
Longoria and Souza each had two hits for the Rays.
The Rays had a 2-0 lead early on Wilson Ramos' home run, but the Orioles came back to take a 3-2 lead when Trumbo singled in Adam Jones.
“I can't tell you how much I love this group,” Souza said on Fox Television after the game. “They're unbelievable. They're brothers to me. You feel overwhelming joy to come through for them.”
Tampa Bay sends Jake Odorizzi to the mound today to face Dylan Bundy. Odorizzi has given up a home run in 11 straight outings.
Colome recorded his 21st save of the season./JEFFREY S. KING
{ 0 comments… read it below or Subscriptions }