Evan Longoria, Jose Lobaton Keep Rays' Hopes Alive in 5-4 Win; Michael Wacha Forces Game 5 for Cardinals; Juan Uribe Homers to Lead Dodgers into NLCS

Players of the Day for Monday, October 7, 2013

American League

Evan Longoria

Jose Lobaton

Evan Longoria tied the game at 3-3 with a three-run homer and pinch-hitter Jose Lobaton delivered a walk-off, game-winning home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Rays to a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox, keeping the Rays alive in the ALDS.

Tampa Bay lost the first two games of the best-of-five series in Boston and were in danger of elimination, as Boston forged a 3-0 lead until Longoria's blast in the fifth inning.

The Rays took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth, but Boston quickly re-tied the game with a single run in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the frame, Boston reliever Koji Uehara seemed to have things well in hand, retiring the first two batters in order, but surrendered the bomb to Lobaton, forcing a game four, Tuesday, 8:37 pm EDT at Tropicana Field.

Michael Wacha

In Detroit, the Oakland A's took a 2-1 lead with a 6-3 victory over the hometown Tigers. Game four is Tuesday at 5:07 pm EDT.

National League

Rookie hurler, Michael Wacha, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, spoiled when Pedro Alvarez socked a solo homer to put the Pirates down 2-1 against the Cardinals in game four of the NLDS. Wacha would not face another batter, manager Mike Matheny opting for his bullpen, which got the final five outs of the game without incident, evening the series at two games apiece and forcing a decisive game five in St. Louis on Wednesday night (8:07 pm EDT).

Juan Uribe

Matt Holliday's two-run homer in the fifth inning provided the winning runs for the Cardinals' 2-1 victory. Wacha was 4-1 in nine starts during the regular season for St. Louis and took the win in his first post-season appearance.

In Atlanta, the Braves were eliminated by the LA Dodgers, three games to one, when Juan Uribe touched off a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning, sending the Dodgers into the NL Championship Series with a 4-3 victory.

Dodger starter Clayton Kershaw pitched well for six innings on three days' rest, allowing just three hits, but the Dodgers surrendered two unearned runs. Reliever Brian Wilson took the win and Kenley Jansen struck out the Braves in order in the ninth for his first post-season save.

Today's Trivia: After the Yankees, what AL team has won the most World Series? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Juan Marical and Fergie Jenkins were pitchers who liked to finish what they started. Marichal had 244 complete games in 16 seasons; Jenkins, 267 in 19 seasons.

Rays Top Yankees on Jose Lobaton's HR, 4 RBI; Rickey Nolasco Blanks Red Sox for 2-0 Win

Players of the Day for Friday, August 23, 2013

American League

With the Red Sox being shut out by the Dodgers in LA, 2-0, Tampa Bay's 7-2 victory over Hiroki Kuroda and the NY Yankees put the Rays back into a tie for first place in the AL EAst with Boston, sending the Yankees six games back.

Jose Lobaton

Kuroda, a Yankee stalwart all season, was rocked for nine hits and seven runs over six innings of work, the big blow coming in the second inning when Tampa catcher, Jose Lobaton, unleashed a three-run homer, his sixth of the year, erasing a 1-0 Yankee lead.

The Rays added two more in the third on back-to-back bombs from Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce, and single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, with Lobaton chipping in again with a fourth-inning RBI single, giving him four ribbies in a 2-for-3 night at the plate.

After suffering a six-game losing streak ending on August 13, the Rays have gotten their fire back, winning seven of their last nine, including two of three at Baltimore. The Orioles currently occupy third place, 4 1/2 games back.

The Yankees will try to even the series Saturday night in game two, starting at 7:10 pm EDT at Tropicana Field.

National League

Nolasco: 8IP, 2H, 0ER

Streaking toward the NL West title, the LA Dodgers are finding ways to win, even when the bats aren't banging out the hits. In the opener of their three-game series with the visiting Red Sox, LA managed only three hits over eight innings off Boston starter, John Lackey, but one of those hits was a two-run homer from Hanley Ramirez, who, since returning from the DL in June, has energized the team.

The two-run stroke in the fourth by Ramirez was all Ricky Nolasco needed to blank the Sox over eight innings, giving them just two hits for the 2-0 win.

Nolasco didn't walk a batter and struck out six. After a double play ended the fifth, Nolasco set down the final nine batters he faced, then turned the ball over to closer Kenley Jansen, who fanned two of three in a perfect ninth inning for his 22nd save.

Since joining the Dodgers mid-season, Nolasco (10-9) is 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA.

LA leads the NL West by 10 1/2 games over Arizona. Game two of their series with Boston starts at 4:05 EDT Saturday.

Today's Trivia: Playing for the Cincinnati Reds, Dave Parker led the NL in total bases in 1985 and 1986. Who led the AL in total bases those two years? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Lou Brock had 3023 hits in his MLB career, Rickey Henderson, 3055. Barry Bonds fell short of 3000, with 2935 hits.