Rays still look radiant
Tampa Bay kicks around ChiSox again for 2-0 lead
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Young, resilient and a victory away from the American League Championship Series. The Rays are breezing through the playoffs, much as they did during the regular season.
All-Star Scott Kazmir settled down after a shaky start, Akinori Iwamura hit a go-ahead, two-run homer and the A.L. East champions beat the Chicago White Sox 6-2 Friday night for a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
“This is just awesome,” said Rocco Baldelli, who singled in a run.
Giving many fans a close-up look at the formula that transformed Tampa Bay from a last-place team to a power, the Rays rallied for the second straight day and remained undefeated in their young postseason history.
“I like the attitude. I like the way we’re going about our business,” manager Joe Maddon said.
The Rays go for a sweep when the series resumes Sunday in Chicago. Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza (11-9) faces John Danks (12-9), trying to seal a matchup against Boston or the Los Angeles Angels in the next round.
“We’re a relaxed bunch,” Baldelli said. “We chill out in the clubhouse. We have fun. That’s what got us here.”
Of the 35 teams to fall behind 2-0 in the division series before this year, just five have come back to advance, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“We’re against the wall,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “We’ve got to fight like a cat, and now it’s a must-win game.”
Chicago started quickly, scoring twice in the first on Jim Thome’s RBI single and Alexei Ramirez’s sacrifice fly, but Kazmir struck out Juan Uribe with the bases loaded to end the inning after three straight foul balls.
Dioner Navarro’s run-scoring single off Mark Buehrle in the second began the comeback following a two-base throwing error by Ramirez at second. Iwamura gave Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead with a drive into the left-center field stands off Buehrle in the fifth.
“I knew it was gone,” Iwamura said.
The Rays added three runs in the eighth, when B.J. Upton tripled and scored on Carl Crawford’s single, which chased Buehrle. Baldelli’s run-scoring single against Octavio Dotel made it 5-2, and Navarro followed with a RBI double off Matt Thornton.
At 24, Kazmir is the youngest member of Tampa Bay’s rotation and already the franchise’s career victories leader. But high pitch counts also have been an issue for the two-time All-Star, who threw 37 in the first inning.
“It was a battle the whole time,” Kazmir said. “It was just me not really trusting myself.”