The Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of a struggling Seattle Mariners bullpen to earn a thrilling walk-off victory on Tuesday night. The Rays were down 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, but they managed to rally for three runs to take the lead.
The Mariners had a chance to hold on for the win, but their bullpen faltered. After starter Marco Gonzales left the game with a 4-2 lead, the Mariners bullpen allowed five hits and three runs in the ninth inning. The Rays took advantage of the Mariners’ struggles and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Kiermaier.
The Rays’ victory was fueled by their offense, which had been struggling in recent weeks. After scoring just four runs in their previous two games, the Rays were able to put together a rally in the ninth inning. They got a leadoff single from Joey Wendle and then followed it up with a double from Austin Meadows. Kiermaier then drove in the winning run with his sacrifice fly.
The Rays’ victory was also helped by their defense, which was able to keep the Mariners from scoring any more runs in the top of the ninth inning. The Rays’ defense was able to make several key plays, including a diving catch by Meadows to end the inning and preserve the win.
The Rays’ win was a big one, as it kept them in contention for a playoff spot. With just a few games left in the season, every win is important for the Rays. They will need to continue to take advantage of struggling bullpens if they want to make it into the postseason.
