Desmond Jennings’ homer guides Tampa Bay Rays to 5-4 victory over Texas Rangers – MLB Update
The Tampa Bay Rays closed the gap on the Boston Red Sox in the American League on Wednesday, September 7 when they scratched their way to a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers in the 10th inning with a walk off homer from Desmond Jennings at Tropicana
Field, St. Petersburg.
The game was the last in three-game series. The Texans tried their best to win the game but their attack lost sting in the end.
Derek Holland struggled at the very beginning as he allowed Jennings a walk and doubles to Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist during the first inning. The Rays scored their first two runs off a two-run RBI double from Zobrist.
The Texas hurler then allowed Kelly Shoppach a walk in the second inning. He was led home for the third run when B. J. Upton grounded a ball to second baseman, Ian Kinsler.
Rangers responded with Adrian Beltre in the fourth as the former Boston Red Sox man, ran home through a fielding error by Rays’ short-stop, Sean Rodriguez. From there on out, the game turned into a display of homers. Ian Kinsler connected for the visitors
in the top of the fifth and the score line changed 3-2 in favour of the Rays.
Rays’ rookie, Brandon Guyer then smashed a home-run in the bottom sixth, towards left-field. With the Rangers two runs behind, a sweet homer came in the top eighth from Mike Napoli to close the gap to one run. It was Kinsler then, in the ninth inning who
kept the game alive with a powerful homer to centre-field.
With the game tied at 4-all, the tenth inning came and Jennings was able to close the game in the Rays’ favour with a homer to the left off Rangers’ reliever, Mike Lowe.
Rays’ skipper, Joe Maddon was proud of his rookies and expressed optimism in his roster after the game.
"Even though we're playing these young guys, that means nothing," Maddon said. "We're not giving up, we're not conceding, we're not just trying to give guys playing time."
David Price pitched for the Rays and he managed to come out unharmed. He allowed two runs off just eight hits in the game. He was up against one of the most offensive line-ups in the American League and he confirmed that after the match.
"That's a postseason lineup," Price said. "They've got a good team, one through nine. It's tough."
The Texans are 2.5 games in the lead, ahead of the Los Angeles Angels, in the American League West. Manager Ron Washington is hoping to get the qualification to enter the post-season.
"This is where we want to be," Washington said.
Though the Rays do not have a good chance to hit the post-season, they may be able to do so if they keep the wins coming in. Tampa Bay fought hard throughout the game and battled it out against the Rangers for an impressive victory. It will be interesting
to see how far the Rays can carry their winning momentum and possibly find a way into the post-season.
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