The Tampa Bay Rays nearly blew a 3-0 lead in a series that looked to be long over until the Houston Astros mounted a comeback to even the series at 3, but the AL East champions took care of business in a do-or-die Game 7 on Saturday to punch their ticket to the World Series.
The Rays took a lead early and did not relinquish it despite Houston’s attempt at a comeback, sealing up a 4-2 victory which will send them towards a chance to play for the franchise’s first ever Commissioner’s Trophy.
Veteran starter Charlie Morton took the ball in Game 7 and was excellent, hurling 5.2 innings of shutout ball with 6 strikeouts and only one walk.
Tampa Bay was able to jump on the board early, scoring a pair of runs off of Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. after postseason standout Randy Arozarena hit a two-run home run.
The Rays increased their lead the next inning after Mike Zunino went deep, pushing their lead to 3-0. The catcher then drove in another run on a sac fly in the sixth inning to give his team a relatively comfortable 4-0 lead.
Bullpen standout Nick Anderson entered for the Rays in the sixth inning and did well, allowing only two hits. However, Peter Fairbanks then relieved him and Carlos Correa’s two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning made things a bit hairy for Tampa.
Fairbanks escaped the jam, however, and pitched a clean ninth inning, sending his Rays teammates into a state of euphoria as they realized they were heading to Texas to play for the World Series.
They will match up against the winners of the Los Angeles Dodgers-Atlanta Braves series.