Field’s wheels key Rays to topsy-turvy triumph
Gorman product scores walk-off winner
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays stood near their dugout for an agonizing couple of minutes before their victory became official.
Bishop Gorman product Johnny Field scored the winning run from second base in the 10th inning as a pinch runner, as reliever Zach Duke missed first base after taking a flip from first baseman Joe Mauer on Denard Span’s two-out grounder, leading the Rays to an 8-7 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday.
The safe call was upheld after a 2-minute, 16-second video review.
“A crazy ending,” Rays starting pitcher Chris Archer said. “It was a bang-bang play. It was nice to have the ball bounce our way.”
Wilson Ramos had a one-out double off Duke (1-1). After Mallex Smith struck out and Adeiny Hechavarria was intentionally walked, Mauer made a diving catch on Span’s ball and made a toss to Duke, who missed touching the base on two attempts, allowing Field to score.
“It was one of those plays where if you’re out, you’re out, but if not you’re hoping to steal a run like that,” Field said.
The Twins were told the video review was inconclusive.
“I felt like I got a piece of the base, but I guess they didn’t see it on the replay,” Duke said. “Obviously I should do a better job touching the base, I guess.”
Alex Colome (1-2) worked a perfect 10th for the win.
Tampa Bay forced extra innings when Carlos Gomez was hit by a pitch from Fernando Rodney with two outs in the ninth, stole second and scored on Brad Miller’s RBI single to tie it at 7.
Miller (strained left groin) was reinstated from the 10-day disabled list before the game.
Minnesota had rallied from a late four-run deficit to go up 7-6 in the ninth on Max Kepler’s solo shot. Eddie Rosario had pulled the Twins even at 6 with his third career grand slam in the eighth, coming on an 0-and-2, two-out pitch from Sergio Romo.
Span drove in three runs. Archer, coming off a start Saturday against Philadelphia in which the righthander gave up seven runs in four innings, limited Minnesota to two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Lance Lynn, making his first start since April 9 due in part of three postponed games, gave up five runs on seven hits and five walks and had seven strikeouts in six-plus innings.
Span hit a two-run double in the fifth as the Rays grabbed a 3-2 lead and added a run-scoring single during a three-run seventh that made it 6-2. The leadoff hitter tops Tampa Bay with 14 RBIS, coming in 48 at-bats.
Logan Morrison put the Twins up 1-0 in the second with his first homer, coming in his first at-bat against his former team. Morrison signed with Minnesota as a free agent after hitting 38 homers last year with Tampa Bay.