Tampa Bay Rays going to World Series after defeating Houston Astros in Game 7

Posted: Oct 17, 2020 / 12:53 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 18, 2020 / 05:29 AM EDT

9TH INNING: 4-2 Tampa Bay Rays

THE RAYS ARE HEADING TO THE WORLD SERIES !!
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

FAIRBANKS WITH HIS SECOND K OF THE INNING !!

ONE MORE OUT

ONE MORE OUT

ONE MORE OUT
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

BYE BYE, TUCKER
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

8TH INNING: 4-2 Tampa Bay Rays

Wendle grounds into a double play
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Adames draws a walk so the #Rays have men on first and second with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th inning#RaysUp
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Bregman swings and misses on a 100 MPH fastball from Fairbanks … TO THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH INNING … thank goodness
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Correa singles to right field and he scores Diaz and Altuve

4-2 Tampa Bay Rays
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Pete Fairbanks is now pitching for the #Rays … 4 more outs, folks, 4 more outs
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Anderson walks Diaz in the top of the 8th inning
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

7TH INNING: 4-0 Tampa Bay Rays

a 1-2-3 inning for the #Astros Blake Taylor — Margot, Lowe, and Arozarena cannot get on base in the bottom of the 7th inning
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

and, then, Anderson helps Gurriel ground into a DOUBLE PLAY !!#RaysUp
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Anderson allows back to back hits to Bregman and Tucker
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

6TH INNING: 4-0 Tampa Bay Rays

I thought that ball was FLYING OVER THE FENCE … it was caught but Choi had enough time to cross home plate !!

4-0 Tampa Bay Rays
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Wendle is swinging for the fences … he flies out to right and Choi advances to third … YUPPPP
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

well, Willy sends Choi to second base after he is walked … hip hip HOORAY #RaysUp
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

a leadoff single for Choi … who will send him home !?! Willy?
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Anderson gets Brantley to ground out on the second pitch he throws to him … FANTASTIC
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

the #Rays do what the #Rays do … Morton is done for the day after only allowing 2 hits in this game … Nick Anderson will go to the mound
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Morton does walk Maldonado on 4 pitches but I am calling it an outlier
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Morton has only thrown 49 pitches entering the 6th inning … he gets his 6th strikeout against Reddick
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

5TH INNING: 3-0 Tampa Bay Rays

MORTON IS $$$$ – he strikes out Tucker
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Choi with a catch that prevents Bregman from getting on base … the #Rays defense is ON tonight #RaysUp
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

4TH INNING: 3-0 Tampa Bay Rays

Brooks Raley is pitching for the #Astros
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Game 7 Numbers on Lance McCullers:

3.2 innings pitched
4 hits
3 runs
7 strikeouts
1 walk
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Wendle singles to center field and, now, Zunino is at the plate … ohhhh baby, I like it I like it
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Morton is looking MIGHTY on the mound !! He had another 1-2-3 inning sending Altuve, Brantley, and Correa back to the dugout
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

3RD INNING: 3-0 Tampa Bay Rays

Lowe finds first base with a bunt !! The #Rays are … unpredictable
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Springer grounds out to third base and, now, the #Rays will take some more hacks at McCullers … they are liking what they are seeing tonight !!
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Morton strikes out Maldonado on 3 pitches
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

2ND INNING: 3-0 Tampa Bay Rays

and Zunino sends that ball OUTTA HERE … he knew it as soon as he hit it

3-0 Tampa Bay Rays
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Wendle grounds out to second AKA he had a chance to get to first … Altuve is still having trouble throwing that ball
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

a 1-2-3 inning for Morton, he is looking SMOOOOTH out there, he has only thrown 23 pitches through 2 innings#RaysUp
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

Adames is INSANE in the infield … he steals a hit from Bregman
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

1ST INNING: 2-0 Tampa Bay Rays

Randy 💪 #RaysUp
— Steven Stamkos (@RealStamkos91) October 18, 2020

AROZARENA – YOU CANNOT STOP THIS MAN !!

He hits a two run home run to give the #Rays the early lead in this game. It is his 7th home run of the postseason … a new rookie record … MAN OHH MAN !!

2-0 Tampa Bay Rays
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

McCullers hits Margot on his first pitch of the game so he goes to first base
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

the first K for Morton 🙌🏼 bye bye Correa
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

the first three batters Morton faces — ground out to second, fly out to center, single to left

Correa is at the plate
— Gabrielle Shirley (@WFLAGabrielle) October 18, 2020

PREGAME:

Houston Astros (29-31, second in the AL West) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (40-20, first in the AL East)

San Diego; Saturday, 8:37 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Houston: Lance McCullers Jr. (3-3, 3.93 ERA in regular season) Tampa Bay: Charlie Morton (2-2, 4.74 ERA in regular season)

LINE: Rays favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 runs

ALCS: Series tied 3-3

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros travel to play the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

The Rays were 20-9 on their home turf in 2020. Tampa Bay has hit 23 home runs this postseason, Randy Arozarena has accounted for six of them en route to posting a slugging percentage of .843.

The Astros were 9-23 on the road in 2020. Houston has a team batting average of .275 this postseason, Carlos Correa has led them with an average of .372, including seven extra base hits and 15 RBIs.

REGULAR SEASON TOP PERFORMERS: Brandon Lowe leads the Rays with 25 extra base hits and is batting .269.

Kyle Tucker leads the Astros with 56 hits and is batting .268.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 8-2, .233 batting average, 2.72 ERA, outscored opponents by 15 runs

Astros: 4-6, .235 batting average, 3.96 ERA, outscored by four runs

INJURIES: Rays: Chaz Roe: (elbow), Cody Reed: (finger), Colin Poche: (elbow), Andrew Kittredge: (elbow), Yonny Chirinos: (elbow), Jalen Beeks: (elbow), Kevin Kiermaier: (hand).

Astros: Justin Verlander: (forearm), Austin Pruitt: (elbow), Brad Peacock: (shoulder), Roberto Osuna: (right elbow), Josh James: (leg), Chris Devenski: (elbow), Rogelio Armenteros: (undisclosed), Bryan Abreu: (undisclosed), Yordan Alvarez: (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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