Tampa Bay beat New York 4-3 in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium. Victor Mesa Jr.'s go-ahead homer and Bryan Baker's final strikeout sent the Rays to the American League Championship Series.
The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-3 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium and completed a three-game sweep of their American League Division Series. ESPN reported that the win sends Tampa Bay to the American League Championship Series for the first time since its 2020 World Series run, where it will play the winner of the Cleveland Guardians-Chicago White Sox series.
Victor Mesa Jr. hit the go-ahead home run in the sixth, his first in the postseason. ESPN said he turned toward the dugout rather than watch the ball, which travelled 401 feet into the right-field stands off Max Fried after Junior Caminero singled. Reuters, in a separate overnight sports note, also credited Mesa with a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth and said a fan-interference call was part of the game.
Tampa Bay's pitchers allowed five runs across the three games, ESPN reported, from Drew Rasmussen's near no-hitter in Game 1 to Bryan Baker's series-ending strikeout of Trent Grisham. Anthony Volpe had struck out to open the ninth, and Jazz Chisholm grounded into what nearly became a double play before Baker finished the inning.
Rays manager Kevin Cash told ESPN that the way the pitchers worked through the Yankees lineup was impressive. The series result ends New York's season. Cleveland's 9-3 win over Chicago on Wednesday, reported by Reuters, only forced a Game 4 in that other division series.
The next Rays opponent is not set. No ALCS schedule was included in the ESPN account used here.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Kevin Cash said the way the Rays pitchers executed against the Yankees lineup was impressive.
- Victor Mesa Jr. told ESPN he did not really feel the ball off the bat and knew he had hit it a long way.