Demonstrating the resilience that turned the perennial strugglers into World Series contenders this season, the Rays rallied for the second straight day — the club’s first ever playoff games.
The Rays go for a sweep when the series resumes today in Chicago. Tampa Bay pitcher Matt Garza will face John Danks.
“We’re against the wall,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “We’ve got to fight like a cat and now it’s a must-win game.”
Chicago started quickly, scoring twice in the first on Jim Thome’s RBI single and Alexei Ramirez’s sacrifice fly, but Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir struck out Juan Uribe with the bases loaded after three straight foul balls.
Dioner Navarro’s run-scoring single in the second began the comeback following a two-base throwing error and Iwamura gave Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead with a drive into the left-center field stands.
“I knew it was gone,” Iwamura said.
The Rays added three runs in the eighth, when B.J. Upton tripled and scored on Carl Crawford’s single. Rocco Baldelli’s run-scoring single made it 5-2 and Navarro followed with an RBI double.
At 24, Kazmir is the youngest member of Tampa Bay’s rotation and already the franchise’s career victories leader. But high pitch counts also have been an issue for the two-time All-Star, who threw 37 in the first inning.
“Be patient. That was my thought,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Kazmir’s struggles. “It’s really important that we get him going ... If he was able to get through that, I thought he might be able to settle in, and he did.”
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