Thursday, 4 a.m.
Hey, didn’t you used to be Jose Siri?
You remember Siri, right? A year ago, he looked golden. He launched 25 home runs, not bad for a guy who hit .222. He played a solid centerfield.
This year, however, he has been lost. His home runs are down to three, and his defense hasn’t been as good. His average, never a lot to brag about, had fallen to .168 going into Thursday night’s game.
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Which, of course, will always be remembered as Jose’s night.
Siri hit a walk-off single in the bottom o the ninth inning to drive in Amed Rosario for a 4-3 victory. Over Oakland. It ended a streak in which the Rays had lost seven of eight games.
Siri helped stop that. In the bottom of the eighth, he had made leaping catch to rob Zack Gelof of a two-run homer. To catch the fly, Siri had to roam to left-center and go up and over Randy Arozarena.
It was Siri’s second hit of the night (he upped his average to .180).
The Rays scuffed for the win. Arozarena was out trying to steal home, and Yandy Diaz was out by 30 feet with the potential fourth run in the seventh inning.
Brandon Lowe had a double and a triple for the Rays.
Isaac Paredes gave the Rays a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning when he doubled home Rich Palacios.
Rays’ starter Ryan Pepiot went 5 2/3 innings and gave up just three hits (and two runs).
Pete Fairbanks got the win, although he was bailed out by Siri’s catch. Perhaps that explains why it was Fairbanks who lifted Siri for his celebration, as teammates surrounded him and placed a bubblegum container on his head.
The teams play again today at 1:10 p.m.