Some anniversaries plan themselves. Back on 19 October 2008, Tampa Bay clinched the franchise’s first pennant. Exactly eighteen years later they did it again: with a 7-3 home win over Cleveland at Tropicana Field, the Rays closed out the AL title series in six games, four wins to two.
The decisive blows came in pairs. In the second inning Richie Palacios, a hitter who has struggled badly against left-handers this year, fought through a long at-bat and drove a two-run double into the gap, then roared towards his dugout. In the seventh, Junior Caminero hooked a two-run homer that clanged against the foul pole in left and, before touching home plate, struck the crossed-arms pose made famous by former Ray Randy Arozarena, who was watching from the stands. Yandy Díaz added two more runs with a homer in the eighth, just after Cleveland had threatened to get back into the game, and the crowd chanted his name until he came out for a curtain call.
On the mound, Freddy Peralta once again had the Guardians’ number. After six scoreless innings in Game 2, he allowed just one run in five and a third innings. Cleveland used a string of relievers, opened by Shawn Armstrong, and never found the rhythm that had carried José Ramírez and company through a dramatic comeback against the White Sox in the previous round.
Now comes a final that guarantees a new name on the trophy. The opponent is Milwaukee, who knocked out the Dodgers, winners of the last two titles, without dropping a game. Both franchises are still waiting for their first championship. Milwaukee will have had eight days off by the time Game 1 starts at American Family Field on Friday at 8 pm Eastern time, which is 2 am on Saturday in Central Europe.
