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 After twice coughing up leads in a series opener against the Chicago
White Sox on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field, the Rays surged
ahead one final time in the ninth inning for a 5-4 win.
Mikie Mahtook laced a two-out single in the top of the ninth to
score the eventual game-winning run, but it took a great play in the
bottom half to make it stand up.
After a lead-off single and stolen base by White Sox shortstop
Alexei Ramirez, first baseman Adam LaRoche hit a single to center
that presented Chicago third-base coach Joe McEwing with a tough
decision. He sent Ramirez home, trying to tie it, but he was thrown
out at the plate on a great throw by center fielder Kevin Kiermaier.
"It short-hopped me," said Casali, who made the tag as Ramirez tried
to leap over him. "Fortunately it was a short-hop that was easy
enough for me to grab. It kind of took me up the line and I had
enough time to look back and fortunately get a good tag on him."
Chicago (50-54) could have had first and third with no outs against
Rays right-handed closer Brad Boxberger, but instead wound up not
scoring and stranding LaRoche at second.
"I take full responsibility for that," McEwing said. "It's totally
my fault. I know it's a guy that throws above (average) and he's got
a great arm and charges the ball hard. I take full responsibility
for it. I messed up. I tried to put the pressure on the defense, but
I take full responsibility for that."
Right-hander Jake McGee earned the win in relief and Boxberger
picked up his 27th save.
Logan Forsythe, the Rays' second baseman, went 2-for-3 with two
RBIs, third baseman Evan Longoria went 3-for-5 with an RBI, left
fielder Grady Sizemore went 2-for-2 with a home run, and Mahtook, a
right fielder, went 1-for-4 with the game-winning RBI to lead Tampa
Bay's attack.
"They've given me some opportunities this year and I had some
opportunities earlier in the game that I didn't come through for
us," Mahtook said. "(Robertson) left a slider up and I was able to
put a good swing on it and it got through. It felt great to kind of
redeem myself after those first two at-bats."
Tampa Bay is two games back of the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota
Twins, who are tied for the second wild card in the American League.
The White Sox are 3 1/2 games back in the race for that spot, but
now have six teams to contend with ahead of them.
This loss stung for more than just the play at the plate in the
ninth. Chicago manager Robin Ventura also watched all three
relievers he called into the game allow runs.
"We've been really good in those situations with those guys,"
Ventura said. "They've been very effective for us and it's a tough
one. It's tough, but you've got to be able to handle it and get back
out there."
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Chicago's runs came off two-run homers by second baseman Carlos
Sanchez (1-for-4) and designated hitter Jose Abreu, who went 2-for-3
and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Right-handed closer
David Robertson allowed Mahtook's single and took the loss, while
left-hander Jose Quintana started for the White Sox and took a
no-decision.
Tampa Bay (53-54) took early leads of 1-0 and 2-0 with runs in the
first and fifth, while right-handed starter Nathan Karns held
Chicago to just one hit through the first five innings.
Karns ran into some trouble in the sixth, however, and the White Sox
tied it 2-2 on Abreu's two-run homer -- which just got over the wall
past the leaping Kiermaier's glove.
The Rays argued fan interference, but the home run was upheld after
a 38-second review.
Longoria put the Rays back in front 3-2 with a ground-rule double in
the seventh, but Sanchez's homer in the bottom of the inning gave
Chicago its first lead, 4-3, on his third homer of the season.
Sizemore tied it 4-4 with a two-out homer in the eighth off
left-hander Zach Duke, which set the stage for the ninth-inning
dramatics.
NOTES: The White Sox recalled OF Trayce Thompson, 24, from Triple-A
Charlotte. Thompson hit .260 with 23 doubles, four triples, 13 home
runs, 39 RBIs, 53 runs and 11 stolen bases for Charlotte. He will be
used as a utility outfielder while OF J.B. Shuck is on the 15-day
disabled list. Thompson is the younger brother of Klay Thompson, who
plays for the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, and Mychel
Thompson, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011-12
season. Thompson's father, Mychal, was the No. 1 overall pick in the
1978 NBA Draft. ... White Sox CF Adam Eaton and 1B/DH Jose Abreu
were named the American League's Co-Offensive Players of the Week
for their performance from July 27 to Aug. 2. ... The Rays recalled
3B/1B Richie Shaffer, 24, from Triple-A Durham and he made his
major-league debut, starting at first base.
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