CLEVELAND — The Rays let a chance to clinch a playoff spot slip away Thursday when they let a one-run lead get away in the eighth inning.
The 2-1 loss to the Guardians ruined plans for a party to celebrate earning a spot in the postseason, but the Rays will have another chance Friday night in Houston and, if necessary, five more after that.
That’s because Baltimore’s loss to Boston earlier Thursday lowered to one Tampa Bay’s magic number — the amount of its wins and Orioles losses — to clinch a wild-card spot.
The Rays (85-71) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and carried it into the eighth, but reliever Shawn Armstrong couldn’t hold it.
Will Brennan started Cleveland’s rally with a single to right, and Myles Straw bunted him to second. Rookie Steven Kwan delivered the tying run with a double to left. Amed Rosario’s right-side groundout moved Kwan to third.
The Rays then intentionally walked the always dangerous Jose Ramirez, drawing boos from the Progressive Field crowd. Oscar Gonzalez followed with a slow grounder to the right side. First baseman Ji-Man Choi went to his right and dove for the ball but couldn’t make a clean pickup and Kwan scored.
The Rays threatened in the ninth, as Wander Franco, David Peralta and Manuel Margot drew walks, loading the bases with one out. But they couldn’t score, as Choi struck out and Isaac Paredes popped out.
The Blue Jays clinched their spot in the three-team American League wild-card field earlier in the day, with the Rays and Mariners on the cusp of completing the grouping.
When they do, still to be determined over the final six days of the season is the seeding, with a considerable benefit to finishing on top — hosting one of the best-of-three, one-site Wild Card Series next weekend. The second wild-card team plays at the first, while the third visits the AL Central champion Guardians.
Going into play Thursday, the Rays were 1½ games behind the Jays and 1/2 game ahead of the Mariners.
Knowing the Orioles had lost, the Rays took the lead at the start. Franco doubled with two outs, went to third on a wild pitch and, after Harold Ramirez was hit by a pitch, Peralta singled him home.
Jeffrey Springs had a strong start, holding the Guardians to three hits over six shutout innings, striking out five. Armstrong took it to the eighth.
