TAMPA -- It had been 20 days since postgame fireworks exploded over left field at George M. Steinbrenner Field, an increasingly infrequent sight as the Rays lost seven straight games and 11 of their last 12 at their temporary home ballpark.
They were agonizingly close to snapping that skid against the Phillies on Thursday night, only to blow a four-run lead after seven innings and lose in extras.
To change their luck, they needed something to go their way. They needed a break.
They got a few Friday night, and they capitalized in a most opportunistic way to escape with a 4-3 win over the Brewers, their first victory at Steinbrenner Field since April 19.
“Some of them happened, and it just kind of felt like, 'All right, here we go,’” second baseman Brandon Lowe said. “Now, the baseball gods are paying us back a little bit.”
Sure, they needed those breaks to win. And yes, they finished 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. But considering how this season has gone, just getting a win was more important than how they did it.
“It definitely didn't come easy,” said starter Zack Littell, who pitched six strong innings and lobbied to start the seventh with their bullpen depleted due to heavy workloads. “I would love for it to come a little bit easier, but we'll just take them how we can get them.”
The first one came in the third inning. Down a run with nobody out, José Caballero smacked a single to center that got by Jackson Chourio, allowing Taylor Walls to score from first base.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy said he thought Chourio, unfamiliar with the Steinbrenner Field grass and the way the ball was bouncing, “got stuck out there” on a “funky hop.”
And it was an extremely rare misplay: Chourio’s first career error after 182 errorless games and 381 errorless chances, the second-longest stretch (behind Tyrone Taylor, at 300 games and 508 total chances) without an error to begin a Brewers position player's career.
“It felt like that ball into center field that got by Chourio was the first, like, real break we've caught in a long time,” Littell said.
But maybe the most memorable play of the night wasn’t a hit, homer, strikeout, walk or defensive gem. It was a call at third base.
With the game tied, runners on the corners and two outs, Junior Caminero broke for second base on an 0-1 pitch from reliever Nick Mears, drawing a throw from catcher William Contreras. As he neared the bag, Caminero backtracked and waved at Christopher Morel to run home.
Second baseman Brice Turang quickly pivoted to fire the ball to third as Morel retreated and reached by Caleb Durbin to get back to the bag.
“I was trying to get home, and I couldn't get a good jump. So I had to go back, and that's pretty much it. I tried to get back,” Morel said through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “His leg was in front of the base, and I tried to put my hand underneath. The umpire saw that."
Sure enough, third-base umpire James Hoye ruled that Durbin had obstructed Morel’s path to the bag. With that call, Morel was awarded home and trotted in to score the go-ahead run.
A similar play burned the Brewers on their last homestand on a backpick to Rhys Hoskins at first base. Murphy argued that ruling as well, but not to a level that warranted an ejection.
Seeing the call work against them again Friday night pushed Murphy over the edge. He argued the ruling until he was ejected for the first time this season -- then kept expressing his displeasure, eventually tossing his hat onto the field as before walking back into the visitors' dugout.
“I’ve watched the video many times,” Murphy said. “Umpires have a tough job of calling -- for a couple of years they’ve been saying, ‘Let’s call obstruction,’ and get rid of the egregious [ones]. It says that in the rule, egregious and purposeful, kneeling down in front of the base and taking it away. …
“Regardless, they have a lot on their plate, and this is the second time in a couple of days we’ve gotten this call. It had no bearing on the play. The kid’s hand didn’t go into anyone else, and the kid clearly got to the base fine. It didn’t obstruct him from going to the base, and they still make the call.”
Even an hour later, Murphy’s frustration was visible on his face.
“I feel like that was a turning point,” Murphy said. “But you have to finish the game. One call shouldn’t make a game. But that was a critical one, and a very big momentum change for us.”
The Rays’ win was more than just good fortune, of course.
Lowe launched his first home run at home since April 1, a fourth-inning solo shot off Jose Quintana -- only Lowe’s third hit of the season off a left-hander.
Walls capped the Rays’ tiebreaking rally in the eighth with a bases-loaded walk, finished by a tremendous take on a two-out, full-count fastball inside from reliever Jared Koenig.
“Those were some really big at-bats. Credit Taylor Walls,” manager Kevin Cash said. “The crowd gets into it, and he didn't seem to get too amped up.”
Finally, Eric Orze stepped up to nail down his second career save, kicking off a Steinbrenner Field celebration that the Rays had been waiting nearly three weeks to enjoy.
“There's some things that, as a player, sometimes you take for granted. Like, being away and winning, it's not the same feeling,” Morel said. “Thank God we were able to win here today, and hopefully we'll get another win tomorrow.”