CLEVELAND — The Rays opened their season-ending nine-game road trip Tuesday knowing there were multiple permutations that could determine their status and seeding for the postseason, and preferring to focus on the simplest.
“There’s so many different ways, scenarios that people are talking about,” manager Kevin Cash said before the game. “If we can kind of control us playing good baseball and winning, that’s probably the best course of action.”
They — eventually — got off to good start, letting an eighth-inning lead get away before rallying in the 11th for a 6-5 win over the American League Central champion Guardians.
Tampa Bay built its initial lead with a four-run fourth off Cleveland ace Shane Bieber, but the Guardians tied it in the eighth, scoring on a replay reversal of what initially was ruled the third out.
The Rays took the lead back in the 11th on a two-run double by Harold Ramirez against his former team. Taylor Walls started the inning at second base. Wander Franco drew a two-out walk, with Walls moving to third on a wild pitch. After Franco stole second, Ramirez lined a ball down the third-base line.
Calvin Faucher, the ninth Rays pitcher, closed it out, allowing one run.
The Rays reduced their magic number to clinch a playoff spot — the combination of their wins and Orioles losses — to at most four pending Baltimore’s game later Tuesday night.
At 85-69, the Rays are second in the three-team American League wild-card field, moving to 1 1/2 games behind the Blue Jays (who lost to the Yankees) and staying ahead of the Mariners, who played late Tuesday.
“We definitely have to be a little bit more focused in this week, because every game is gonna be just important,” infielder Yandy Diaz said via team interpreter Manny Navarro. “If it’s up to us, we’d win all nine games, but we’ve got to hopefully win as many as we can.”
Down 1-0, the Rays took charge with a four-run fourth against Guardians ace — and projected Game 1 playoff starter — Bieber.
Franco, extending his career-high hitting streak to 13 games, got them started with a double to right and took third on an errant throw. Ramirez, having a tough day at first base, followed with a sharply hit double to left, scoring the tying run.
Ramirez went to third on Isaac Paredes’ flyout to right, then scored on David Peralta’s infield out to give the Rays the lead. Christian Bethancourt followed with a single, and Jose Siri delivered a two-run home run.
The Guardians came back with two in their half of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-3. They rapped three straight singles to start the inning, getting them one run, then added another on a two-out single by rookie Steven Kwan.
Bieber left after five innings. In the sixth, the Rays literally did nothing, as they were on the wrong end of reliever Enyel De Los Santos’ immaculate inning — nine pitches, nine strikes, three strikeouts.
The Guardians tied it in the eighth. Gabriel Arias drew a one-out walk off Jason Adam, stole second and went to third on a groundout. The Rays looked to be out of the inning when Franco went deep in the hole and made a strong throw to first, running off the field after speedy Myles Straw was called out. But the Guardians challenged, and first base ump Ryan Additon’s call was reversed.
Corey Kluber, starting as a visitor for the first time in Cleveland, where he starred during much of a nine-season career, gave the Rays four solid innings, allowing eight hits and a walk, but only three runs. He was followed by a parade of relievers.
