ARLINGTON, Texas — Tampa Bay’s hitters woke up just in time, and the Rays get to play another day.
John Jaso lined a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning after Carlos Peña delivered a rare clutch playoff hit for Tampa Bay, and the Rays avoided elimination in their AL division series with a 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
The Rays, the American League’s best team in the regular season, cut their deficit in the best-of-five series to 2-1. Game 4 is today.
“I was so nervous, hoping we didn’t get swept,” said all-star outfielder Carl Crawford, who homered for the Rays. “I feel so much better. It feels like we’re winning the series right now.”
Limited to a total of one run while losing the first two games at home, Tampa Bay broke loose in the late innings.
“Your back is against the wall and everything seems to be going against you, the odds are against you,” Peña said. “Then you get this pause and you’re able to focus on the task at hand. We did that and it’s extremely powerful.”
With the record crowd of 51,746 still buzzing from Ian Kinsler’s leadoff homer in the seventh that put the Rangers up and appeared to set the stage for a series-clinching victory 50 seasons in the making, Dan Johnson doubled off the wall with one out in the Rays’ eighth. Peña followed with an RBI single that made the score 2-2.
After B.J. Upton struck out for the fifth time in the series, reliever Darren O’Day was pulled after facing only one batter. Rangers manager Ron Washington made a curious move, bringing in all-star closer Neftali Feliz. The hard-throwing right-hander set a major-league rookie record this year with 40 saves. But Feliz walked Jason Bartlett, the No. 9 hitter in Tampa Bay’s order, before Jaso’s liner to center gave the Rays their first lead in the ALDS.
“I was going to use him on Jaso anyway,” Washington explained. “Nefti comes in and don’t walk Bartlett and get out of that inning, and we’re going to the ninth inning with a tie ballgame and I’m bringing my closer in there anyway.”
Crawford led off the ninth inning with a homer to chase Feliz and Peña added a two-run shot for the Rays off reliever Dustin Nippert.
Star of the game
John Jaso: The catcher lined a tiebreaking RBI single to center field during the eighth inning to give Tampa Bay its first lead of the best-of-five series.
Key moment
Neftali Feliz, Texas’ all-star closer who set a major-league rookie record with 40 saves, walked Jason Bartlett, the No. 9 hitter in Tampa Bay’s lineup, before giving up Jaso’s big hit.
Denver Post wire services
