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A16 SPORTS
Friday 25 September 2020
Rays beat Mets 8-5, clinch 1st AL East title in 10 years

NEW YORK (AP) — Confetti ed an RBI single later in the
instead of champagne. Sil- inning and Arozarena hom-
ly string instead of beer. ered again in the ninth.
The Tampa Bay Rays, long The insurance came in
accustomed to doing handy for the Rays when
more with less, figured out the Mets scored three times
a way to maximize the di- off Oliver Drake in the ninth
vision-clinching celebration — via an RBI groundout by
they were allowed to enjoy Robinson Cano and a two-
during a 2020 season short- run homer by Todd Frazier
ened by the coronavirus. — before Anderson closed
Randy Arozarena hom- the door.
ered twice and the Rays "I think we had the game
clinched their first AL East pretty much in control
title in 10 years Wednesday (and) certainly recognized
night with an 8-5 victory what was going on in Buf-
over the New York Mets. falo, but I don't know if you
"I'm completely dry right can ever prepare for a mo-
now, which I'm not a huge ment like that — it's pretty
fan of," center fielder Kevin special," Rays manager
Kiermaier, the longest-ten- Kevin Cash said.
ured Rays player, said with Glasnow (5-1) allowed two
a grin. "But you have to runs on three hits and one
adapt to what we're asked Tampa Bay Rays' Randy Arozarena (56) and Brandon Lowe (8) celebrate with teammates after a walk with eight strikeouts.
of." baseball game against the New York Mets Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in New York. Gimenez and Dominic
With teams instructed to Associated Press Smith homered off Glas-
celebrate in a muted and now in the final home
socially distant style, the "We're little kids trapped in spending powers in the ness themselves while New game of the season for
Rays went old school — or grown men's bodies," Kier- Yankees and Red Sox, in York was routed 14-1 by the the Mets, whose long-shot
maybe elementary school maier said. 2008 and 2010. Blue Jays. playoff hopes were further
— with their clinching party. Joey Wendle and Bran- "It feels great to win the di- "At the end of the day, damaged with the loss.
The team filed slowly onto don Lowe also went deep vision, no matter what di- a clinch is a clinch," said With four games to play,
the field after Nick Ander- for the Rays to back Tyler vision you're in," Kiermaier Wendle, who homered in New York is three behind
son fanned Andres Gi- Glasnow's six solid innings. said. "But especially the the second. "But to do it on Miami for second place in
menez for the final out. A Tampa Bay will be home at American League East — a win — everybody's kind the NL East — with Philadel-
couple of players shot off quirky Tropicana Field for it's just a different animal." of riding the high of winning phia in between. The Mets
canisters filled with confetti a best-of-three first-round After missing a chance to the game along with the are 3 1/2 games out of a
that eventually dotted the playoff series beginning clinch Tuesday, the Rays division. We didn't want to wild-card spot.
grass and dirt at Citi Field. next Tuesday. went into Wednesday see it come down to them "We still have a shot with
Hugs and handshakes It is the third division crown again needing just a win or losing a game." the four games left and
were exchanged before for the thrifty Rays, whose a Yankees loss against To- Tampa Bay also is closing in we're competing," man-
the Rays doused one an- payroll this season is just ronto to lock up the division on wrapping up the top re- ager Luis Rojas said. "We've
other with silly string and lit over $28 million — more championship. cord in the AL and the No. just got to do what we do
some cigars in the visiting than only the Pittsburgh Pi- The Rays (37-20) broke a 1 seed in the playoffs. — just keep fighting like we
clubhouse. rates and Baltimore Orioles. 2-all tie in the sixth on Aro- Lowe, who had an RBI did in the ninth."
Later, hooting and hollering Tampa Bay, which began zarena's two-run homer off fielder's choice in the third, Wacha allowed four runs
could be heard from the play in 1998, also won the Michael Wacha and pulled hit a two-run homer in the on six hits and struck out
visitors' dugout. AL East, home of two big- away, taking care of busi- eighth. Willy Adames add- four in six innings.q

Another slow start undermines Stars in loss to Lightning

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Another slow The Stars also started slowly in Game 2,
start doomed the Dallas Stars. yielding three first-period goals — two of
Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final slipped them on the power play — on the way to
away from the Western Conference a 3-2 loss.
champions in a hurry Wednesday night, Now, they're facing a 2-1 deficit in the
with a suddenly vulnerable Anton Khu- best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Friday
dobin allowing two early goals and the night.
Tampa Bay Lightning once again show- "We've got to regroup," said Stars forward
ing how difficult it is play catchup against Jason Dickinson, who had a short-hand-
them in a 5-2 victory. ed goal in the opening period.
Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos "It's 2-1. They're up one," defenseman
scored in the first seven minutes for Tam- John Klingberg said. "We're going to even
pa Bay, which was just was getting start- the series on Friday."
ed. A trio of goals in the second period While Khudobin is one of the biggest rea-
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat, top left, scores on built the lead to 5-1, ending an ugly night sons Dallas is back in the Final for the first
Dallas Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin (35) during the sec- for Khudobin. time in 20 years, he hasn't been at this
ond period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final, "They made two good shots early," Stars best since winning Game 1.
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta. captain Jamie Benn said. "They capital- He stopped just 24 of 29 shots in two peri-
Associated Press ized on their chances and we didn't." ods Wednesday night. q