ST. PETERSBURG -- For as evenly matched as the Rays and Guardians appear to be, as much as they may feel like they’re looking in a mirror when they look across the field, this American League Championship Series could be decided by who does the little things best.
“They’re a very similar team to us, so I think we knew going into it this whole series is going to be a dogfight,” outfielder Jonny DeLuca said. “Any way we could scratch and claw and get runs across, we’re going to take.”
So no, the Rays aren’t going to complain about a three-run rally that featured just one ball hit out of the infield. With “Fastball Freddy” Peralta in top form, they didn’t need much. They got just enough in an inning that felt familiar for anyone who has been watching the surprising AL East champions all year.
They got here by not beating themselves, by forcing other teams to beat them. The Guardians did that in Game 1. But when the Rays’ opponent makes a mistake, especially on defense, they’ve shown time and time again that they will find a way to capitalize like they did in the fourth inning of Game 2.
“It did feel like a very Rays inning,” manager Kevin Cash admitted.
“They've done that all year,” added Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. “When they smell blood, they take it and run.”
Tampa Bay’s lone rally of the night against left-hander Parker Messick began with a walk by Junior Caminero. Victor Mesa Jr. followed with a bouncer to second baseman Travis Bazzana, who was a tick slow in flipping the ball to shortstop Brayan Rocchio. The Guardians got the out at second and seemed to turn the double play, but a replay review confirmed that Mesa was safe at first.
“We didn't get quite a good feed or quick turn,” Vogt said. “Any time your rhythm is broken up on a double-play ball like that, it's going to be tough to really turn it.”
DeLuca struck out, but Chandler Simpson -- making his first start since Game 2 of the AL Division Series -- kept the inning alive with the kind of chaos he’s known for. He chopped a ball 5 feet in front of the plate, and it took a high bounce to Rocchio, who made a clean play but still couldn’t catch the speedy Simpson at first.
Meanwhile, Mesa alertly realized nobody was covering third base, rounded second and took the extra 90 feet, putting runners on the corners. The heads-up play was a surprise even to Simpson, who initially looked for Mesa at second as soon as he realized he was safe at first, only to find him standing at third.
“Chandler, he's able to impact the game in so many different ways. Mesa taking third on that play, that's kind of Rays baseball encapsulated there,” catcher Liam Hicks said. “Any time the defense is on their heels, we're able to take advantage.”
Then came the biggest, most unexpected break of the night. Ben Williamson reached below the zone and pulled a 2-1 changeup to the left side of the infield. Third baseman José Ramírez was waiting, but the ball took an odd bounce off the lip of the infield turf, tipped off the top of Ramírez’s glove, skipped between his legs and rolled into left field as Mesa trotted home to score the game’s first run.
“José Ramírez is as good as any third baseman there is in the game, and we were fortunate to maybe catch a break there,” Cash said. “But once you catch the break, it's kind of what you do with it.”
As they’ve done all year, the Rays capitalized. Williamson’s fortunate bounce left a pair of runners in scoring position and brought up Hicks, their cleanup hitter against right-handers who was slotted into the eighth spot in the order to switch things up against the lefty Messick.
Hicks was looking for a high fastball from Messick but wound up getting a first-pitch slider that hung up in the zone. Quickly adjusting his swing, he ripped the ball to right-center field, driving in Simpson and Williamson to give the Rays a lead that Peralta, relievers Kevin Kelly and Ian Seymour and closer Bryan Baker wouldn’t surrender.
“Liam picked us up in a big way,” Cash said.
But it wouldn’t have been possible without the little things that led up to it.
Was it aesthetically pleasing? Maybe not. Was it Rays baseball? Without a doubt.
“It's definitely going to be a scratch to the end. Whoever can scratch first, honestly,” Simpson said. “It's going to be a battle, for sure.”