The Tampa Bay Rays could not have gotten off to a better start in Wednesday’s AL Wild Card Game against the Oakland A’s.
Yandy Diaz led off the game with a solo home run to right field off A’s starter Sean Manaea. He worked the count to 3-1 and then launched an opposite field home run to put his team up 1-0. Diaz’s homer was the first time a Rays player led off a playoff game with a home run.
Coliseum silencer. pic.twitter.com/97EI7dBRkP
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Despite the bad start, Manaea struck out the next three batters to get out of the inning.
Tampa Bay countered with Charlie Morton as their starting pitcher in the bottom of the first.
Only one game separated the teams during the regular season; Oakland went 97-65, while Tampa Bay was 96-66.
