Monday, 3 a.m.
In case you were wondering -- and these days, how can you not -- the Korean word for money is "don."
Around here, it is also called "Ji-Man."
Ji-Man Choi, pinch-hitter extraordinaire, was at it again Sunday. His pinch-hit, bases-loaded double in the bottom of the fifth inning provided the spark for the Rays to come from behind in a 5-2 victory over Boston that enabled them to take the series.
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Choi, who is eight-for-nine (.889) coming off the bench the last two seasons, hit a two-strike pitch deep to left-center to drive in Randy Arozarena (who had been hit by a pitch) and Wander Franco (who had walked) to tie the game. The Rays other runs came on a groundout by Manuel Margot, a wild pitch that allowed Kevin Kiermaier to score and a home run by Yandy Diaz.
"Ji-Man is pretty spectacular coming off the bench," Rays' manager Kevin Cash said. "I know that he’s had a lot of success, but all of those guys are just ready for the moment."
The Red Sox jumped Rays' starter Shane McClanahan early, getting four hits and two runs on his first nine pitches. But McClanahan rallied, and he held the Sox to four hits for the rest of his seven innings. He struck out six to earn his first victory of the season.
“Just an outstanding effort," Cash said. "Look, Boston’s lineup is very good. They’ve got their reps against Shane. They came out and had a really solid approach. Shane turned it up a little bit. I don’t think he altered anything he was doing. He dialed in and gave us an outstanding performance."
The key blow was Choi's. The Rays had stranded five runners in the first four innings until starter Rich Hill, an ex-Ray, had given way. But reliever Phillips Valdez was wild, hitting two batters and walking one to set up Choi.
There is a certain mentality to pinch-hitting, to coming in cold and changing the game. Choi seems to have it.
The Rays are idle today. They play against Seattle on Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. at Tropicana Field.