The Tampa Bay Rays averted disaster by defeating the Houston Astros 4-2 in Game 7 of the ALCS earning them their second AL pennant.
The Rays had a 3-0 series lead, but the Astros won three straight games to tie the series and force a seventh and deciding game. Had the Astros prevailed they would have become the second team in MLB history to come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a post-season series. This was previously accomplished by the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.
Had the Astros prevailed in the ALCS they would have become the first team to reach the World Series with a losing record. Combined with the Astros 2017 electronic sign stealing scandal and their lack of contrition for it their presence in the World Series would have given baseball a black eye. Fortunately, the Rays spared us from this fate.
Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena was named the ALCS MVP. The Cuban born slugger went 9 for 28 (.321) with 4 HR and 6 RBI during the ALCS becoming the first rookie to win the honor. Arozarena has hit 7 HR overall in the 2020 post-season.
The Rays will play their first World Series since 2008 when they lost in five games to the Philadelphia Phillies. Tampa Bay will find out who they will face in the World Series tomorrow night as the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers face off in Game 7 of the NLCS. The Braves have an opportunity to win their first NL pennant since 1999 while the Dodgers could win their third NL pennant in four years.
If the Rays win the World Series they will become the second team from the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg area to win a major sports championship as the Tampa Bay Lightning won their second ever Stanley Cup last month.
Whether the Rays win the World Series or not they have saved baseball from eternal embarrassment and for that we should be forever grateful.
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