Last year, 90 wins was not enough for the Tampa Bay Rays. This year, 96 proved to be the number they needed to reach the post-season.
Tampa Bay returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2013, clinching an American League wild-card berth with a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday behind Tommy Pham’s two-run homer and Tyler Glasnow’s 4-1/3 hitless innings.
“This organization has created a very winning culture, and there’s been a little bit of a drought,” fifth-year manager Kevin Cash said. “We get to hang another banner, we want to hang some more. Really happy to be a part of it.”
Photo: AFP
Tampa Bay face the Oakland Athletics in the wild-card game on Wednesday. The Rays are to start Charlie Morton.
“This is a small step in the right direction,” Pham said. “Oakland is a tough team. We have to get through them first. We’re going to probably have to get through Houston [Astros] next. It’s a long road ahead of us, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
In Washington, the Cleveland Indians missed out on the post-season for the first time since 2015, eliminated from the AL wild-card race with an 8-2 loss to the playoff-bound Washington Nationals.
The Indians began the day third in the wild-card standings — behind Oakland and Tampa Bay — and in need of a victory and some help. They knew they would be eliminated with the combination of a loss to Washington and a win by the Rays. Soon after Cleveland’s game ended, Tampa Bay closed out their victory.
In Kansas City, a short game left a lasting memory for the Minnesota Twins, who became the fourth team in the major leagues to win 100 games this season.
They beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2 behind two-run homers from Miguel Sano and Ryan LaMarre in a game shortened because of rain.
Minnesota, who face the New York Yankees in the Division Series starting on Friday, reached the century mark in wins for just the second time in franchise history.
In other games on Friday, it was:
‧ Pirates 6, Reds 5
‧ Phillies 5, Marlins 4
‧ Mets 4, Braves 2
‧ Red Sox 1, Orioles 4
‧ Rangers 7, Yankees 14
‧ Rockies 11, Brewers 7
‧ Cardinals 2, Cubs 8
‧ Diamondbacks 6, Padres 3
‧ Angels 0, Astros 4
‧ Mariners 4, Athletics 3
‧ Giants 2, Dodgers 9
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