Playoffs out of reach after loss in season finale
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Rookie pitcher Josh Fleming allowed four hits over six innings and the American League East champion Tampa Bay Rays eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies from the playoff race with a 5-0 victory Sunday.
Philadelphia needed a win over the Rays and losses by San Francisco and Milwaukee to earn its first playoff berth in nine years. The Brewers and Giants both lost, but the Phillies were unable to give themselves a chance.
The Phillies, who were swept by the Rays in the three-game series and lost seven of eight overall to finish the season, went 28-32 under first-year manager Joe Girardi. They went 81-81 in 2019 with Gabe Kapler at the helm.
Fleming (5-0) struck out five and walked one for the top-seeded Rays, who will face No. 8 seed Toronto in a best-ofthreewild-0.cardseriesthatstarts3-
Tuesday at Tropicana Field. Nola gave up three runs and
Oliver Drake, Aaron Loup six hits in 3 ⅔ innings. and Ryan Sherriff completed a Mike Brosseau hit an RBI six-hitter. triple that bounced over right
Tampa Bay (40-20) has the fielder Phil Gosselin’s head AL’s top record after reaching and scored on Hector Neris’ the postseason last season as a wild pitch when Michael Perez wild card. struck out to make it 5-0 in the
Pinch hitter Kevan Smith sixth. had a run-scoring single in the Philadelphia loaded the bases second before Joey Wendle with two outs in fourth but and Hunter Renfroe both had Fleming got a grounder, from third-inning RBI hits off Aaron Gosselin.
Nola (5-5) that put the Rays up Phillies rookie Alec Bohm
doubled in the eighth and had a hit in 18 of his last 20 games.
Major confidence: It was not known before the game whether the Rays would play the New York Yankees or Toronto in the first-round series.
But Tampa Bay hitting coach Chad Mottola said pregame that he felt both teams would prefer not taking on the Rays.
“I know no one wants to play us,” Mottola said. “I would think they’re going to play today, both teams, knowing that they want
to avoid us.”
As it turns out, they will play Toronto.
Trainer’s room: Rays’ Smith hit for CF Brett Phillips, who left with right hamstring tightness. Manager Kevin Cash said OF Austin Meadows (left oblique strain) is “not close” to returning. LHP Jose Alvarado (left shoulder inflammation), 1B Ji-Man Choi (left hamstring strain) and INF Yandy Diaz (right hamstring strain) will take part in a simulated game
Monday. OF Manuel Margot (sore foot) was scratched from the lineup.
Up next: Phillies will host Toronto in Clearwater, Florida, to begin 2021 spring training on Feb. 27. Rays’ first-round rotation against the Blue Jays will be LHP Blake Snell (4-2), RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-1) and RHP Charlie Morton (2-2).