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A20 SPORTS
Thursday 10 OcTOber 2019
Rays chase Verlander early, beat Astros 4-1 to even ALDS

By FRED GOODALL to win the series — JV to-
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — day and Gerrit in Game 5 if
The Tampa Bay Rays never we needed it. We're going
doubted themselves, even to test the latter part of that
with Justin Verlander look- in Game 5."
ing to end their season. Four of the next five Rays
Willy Adames homered also reached base, build-
and made a sensational ing the lead to 3-0. Travis
relay throw from shortstop, d'Arnaud hit an RBI single
and the Rays chased the and Joey Wendle lined a
Houston ace early in beat- double into the right-field
ing the Astros 4-1 Tuesday corner to drive in another
night to even their AL Divi- run.
sion Series at two games "I always say when we
apiece. score early, we're very, very
With their second victory dangerous," Kiermaier said.
in two days over one of "Three runs in the first inning,
baseball's best pitchers, the you couldn't draw it up any
Rays believe the rest of the better. We wanted him to
country is finally getting a throw as many pitches as
taste of what they're capa- Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander reacts after giving up a home run to Tampa Bay possible. We wanted to get
ble of accomplishing. Rays' Willy Adames during the fourth inning of Game 4 of a baseball American League Division him out of the game quick,
"Hey, I hate to say it: About Series, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, in St. Petersburg, Fla. and we did just that."
time, because we have Associated Press PACKED HOUSE
a really good team over Seating capacity at Tropi-
here," Tommy Pham said. runs. most incredible relay throw Charlie Morton, who cana Field was reduced
"To win 96 games in this divi- Verlander, whose eight ca- from an infielder I've ever helped Houston win the to 25,025 this year, but the
sion (the AL East) with New reer ALDS victories are a seen," Kiermaier said. "That World Series two years ago, Rays removed the tarps
York and Boston is an im- major league record, yield- was such a huge moment began the Rays' come- covering a portion of the
pressive feat," he added. ed three runs in the first. for us, huge momentum back by beating his former upper deck to allow more
"All year, we've been get- Adames homered leading shift, and it just doesn't get team 10-3 on Monday. fans an opportunity to buy
ting talked down. And now, off the fourth to make it 4-0, any better than that." Needing one win to reach tickets for Games 3 and 4
with the last two games, the and the eight-time All-Star Avisaíl García had four hits the ALCS for a third straight of the ALDS.
way we played, the whole didn't make it through the for Tampa Bay, and Pham year, the Astros opted to After drawing 32,251 on
world has seen how good inning. added three. start Verlander on just three Monday, more than twice
of a team we are and how "A good approach for Rays opener Diego Cas- days of rest in hopes of the club's AL-worst sea-
well-rounded we are." those guys in the first, and tillo struck out the first three closing out the Rays, who son average of 14,734 per
The series shifts back to then honestly, I need those batters and went 1 2/3 in- have won three elimination game, attendance was
Houston for a deciding infield singles to be caught. nings. He was followed by games in a week to stay in announced as 32,178 on
Game 5 on Thursday night. When you don't have it, Yarbrough, who worked the running for their first trip Tuesday night.
Astros star Gerrit Cole is you need the balls that are two scoreless innings to to the ALCS since 2008. "Certainly, players like to
scheduled to pitch for the put in play to go your way, get the win. Nick Anderson Houston manager AJ Hinch play in front of a lot of
heavily favored AL West and they didn't," said Ver- handed off to Colin Poche, said it was an easy decision fans. Everybody recognizes
champs, who led the ma- lander, who only started on who gave up an eighth- to go with Verlander, who that," manager Kevin Cash
jors with 107 wins this sea- short rest three other times inning homer to Robinson was 8-0 in 12 ALDS appear- said. "But when it mattered,
son and have one more during his career, includ- Chirinos. ances, including 11 starts, when it counted ... they
chance to close out the ing the 2011 ALDS, when he Emilio Pagan and Snell fin- before Tuesday night. showed up."
feisty Rays. Tyler Glasnow is started Games 1 and 3 af- ished up for the Rays, who Verlander limited the Rays CROWDED AISLE
expected to start for Tam- ter Game 1 was suspended have rebounded from los- to one hit over seven score- Astros SS Carlos Correa re-
pa Bay. in the second inning. ing the first two games of less innings in Game 1, and turned to the lineup for the
The winner plays the New "Obviously, not the way you the series on the road to it looked as though Tampa ALDS after missing the final
York Yankees in the AL would script it," he added. Verlander and Houston's Bay might be in for another seven games of the regular
Championship Series. "It sucks." other main headliner, Cole. long night when he fanned season due to back tight-
Pham homered for the sec- The Rays helped them- "A lot of credit to them for Austin Meadows to begin ness that flared up during
ond time this postseason selves by playing stellar de- their preparation and put- the bottom of the first. a flight to Seattle. He said
and Ryan Yarbrough com- fense, especially with the ting themselves in this posi- What transpired over the Tuesday he's 100 percent
bined with five other pitch- Astros threatening to cut tion," Cole said. "I certainly next six batters — begin- healthy and isn't placing
ers on a six-hitter for Tampa into their three-run deficit in think they've earned it. ... ning with Pham's 408-foot any limitations on himself
Bay. Cy Young Award win- the fourth. They've played calm, cool shot to left-center that in the playoffs. He also re-
ner Blake Snell came out With speedy Jose Altuve and collected." got a yellow flag-waving, vealed what he's doing to
of the bullpen for his first on first base, Yordan Alva- Altuve drew a one-out walk boisterous crowd of 32,178 try to avoid his back tight-
career relief appearance, rez hit a long double that and Alex Bregman singled into it — could fuel some ening up again during a
holding off Houston in the short-hopped the center to help the Astros bring the second-guessing if Houston plane ride.
ninth inning to earn the field wall. Two-time Gold potential tying run to the doesn't win Game 5. "I'm laying on the aisle,"
save. Glove winner Kevin Kier- plate in the ninth. "In the postseason, you ask Correa said, adding he "felt
Verlander, starting on short maier quickly grabbed the Snell, who started Game somebody to do something awesome" when he arrived
rest after dominating the ball and fired to his cutoff 2, entered and struck out that's not normal, it's always in Florida before Game 3.
wild-card Rays in Game 1, man, Adames. He turned Alvarez before retiring Yuli a little nerve-wracking," "Got my sleep, got my rest,"
looked uncomfortable on and executed a perfect re- Gurriel on a sharp grounder Hinch said. he explained. "Just happy
the mound at Tropicana lay home just in time to nail up the middle — exactly "I understand with the re- to be back with the team
Field and was pulled in the Altuve trying to score. where the Rays were play- sults, it's tough," he added. and on the field once
fourth after giving up four "That was probably the ing him — to end the game. "I felt it was the best chance again."q