Tampa Bay forges ‘a very Rays inning’ to gain even in ALCS

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – From the vantage of manager Kevin Cash, and other decision makers of the Tampa Bay Rays, there is a significant method to jump-start a lethargic offense.

Inject speed, daring and bat control. In effect, the play the kind of baseball with pressuring defense and a penchant for playing “small ball” as a barometer to winning.

Enter Chandler Simpson, arguably the fastest runner in the majors and who finished the season batting .306, second in the American League. Only the Astros’ Yordan Alverez finished with a higher average and that was .316

After the Rays were held to seven hits (only two past the first inning) in dropping the initial game of this ALCS to the Cleveland Guardians, Cash dropped Simpson’s energy and emotion into the Rays’ game-two lineup. Hitting sixth in the Tampa Bay order, Simpson was in the middle of a three-run, fourth inning rally and in what Cash called, “a very Rays inning.

Amid the chaos, Simpson beat out a single to shortstop in the thrust of the winning frame and that help power Tampa Bay to a 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians before 32,125 in Tropicana Field. The victory knotted this ALCS best of seven series and one game each.

Though Rays’ starter Freddie Peralta turned in perhaps his best effort for the Rays since acquired during an August trade with the New York Mets, Simpson’s speed and the Guardians’ awareness of his potential havoc which represented a principal catalyst for victory.

In that inning which Cash identified a prototypical, Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt went a bit further.

“When (Rays) smell blood,” Vogt said after the game, “they take it and run.”

In the frame which provided the margin of victory, the Rays took the slight advantage to do what they do well. That’s pressure the defense.

In that dramatic fourth, Junior Caminero started the inning with a walk. Victor Mesa, Jr. grounded into a force-out, but Jonny DeLuca struck out. That’s when Simpson bounced a grounder between short and third and shortstop Brayan Rocchio’s throw to first was nowhere close. On the play, Jose Raminerz failed to cover third and Mesa landed on the unoccupied bag.

Ben Willisonson followed with a sharp grounder to third which eluded Raminez and that allowed Mesa to score and place runners on second and third. Liam Hicks followed with a sharp single to center to drive in two and Peralta, with relievers Kevin Kelly, Ian Seymour and closer Bryan Baker shut the door.

Simpson’s insertion in the lineup was no mistake.

“The way (Simpson) goes about his way around the baseball field and understands that we’re doing everything we can to put the best team to start the game,” Cash said. “We know that he could come off and have the biggest at-bat at any point in the game.”

Sharing the victorious spotlight was Peralta, who turned in a 99-pitch effort, allowed four hits, walked two and fanned six hitters. His fast ball was constantly in the mid to upper 90s and signature delivery was an off-speed to strike our Petey Halpin in a 9-pitch at-bat to conclude the sixth inning.

“It’s no secret that I trust my fastball,” Peralta said afterward. “That’s my best pitch. I was able to put up zeros on the board but also that I was able to get out of some innings without damage. (Cleveland) had many good at-bats and I was able to get out of innings without allowing any runs.”

The dramatic alteration which dumped Peralta by the New York Mets at the trade deadline to the American League pitcher-of-the-month in September became transformative. Now with Peralta complementing Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, the Rays’ rotation appears to achieve elite status.

“After we acquired (Peralta), we never thought he would win the pitcher-of-the-month award just three weeks later,” Cash said. “We are quite fortunate to get him. In the type of teammate he has become, it feels like he’s been here for several years. His pitching and numbers he has put up speak for themselves.”

Next … with an off-day Oct. 15, the series shift to Progressive Field for games three, four and five. Should a game six be required, that is back at Tropicana field on Oct. 19 and, if game seven is required, that would be the next day, also in St. Petersburg. Pitchers for the subsequent games in this series have not been announced.

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