The Rays fended off the Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS on Saturday to advance to the World Series.
A first-inning home run by breakout star Randy Arozarena and a stellar start from Charlie Morton gave Tampa Bay an early edge. Manager Kevin Cash'sbullpen then withstood tense moments to hold onto a 4-2 win.
Morton lasted 5 2/3 innings and rarely met trouble. Cash removed him at just 66 pitches, a controversial decision that paid off. Houston's only runs came on a two-run single by Carlos Correa in the eighth.
For only the second time in franchise history, the AL pennant belongs to the Rays. #CLINCHED pic.twitter.com/HKQsnaaCzE
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2020
The Rays, of course, led the series 3-0 before dropping three straight. An Astros team that entered the 2020 campaign hated because of a sign-stealing scandal felt empowered as MLB's villain, eager to stick a shocking ALCS turnaround in the faces of its critics. Tampa Bay's pitching staff denied it that satisfaction.
Tampa Bay will face the Braves or Dodgers in the World Series, which will begin Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. Atlanta and LA will play for the National League championship in a Game 7 on Sunday.
Sporting News trackedGame 7 between the Astros and Rays with live updates, highlights and commentary. Follow along below too see how Tampa Bay pulled off the victory.
Astros vs. Rays final score
| FINAL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R |
| Astros | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Rays | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 |
Astros vs. Rays result, highlightsfor ALCS Game 7
Top 9
10:54 p.m.: Diaz flies out and the Rays are AL champs!
The final out to clinch the AL Pennant! Go crazy @RaysBaseball, you are going to the World Series! pic.twitter.com/WV05oETeOB
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 18, 2020
10:51p.m.: Reddick strikes out. High fastball.
10:48 p.m.: Gurriel whips a single to right field. The tying run will come to the plate.
10:47 p.m.: Tucker strikes out. 99 mph fastball above the zone. One out.
10:43 p.m.: Tampa Bay is sticking with Fairbanks on the mound. Another gutsy pitching decision from Cash.
Bottom 8
10:41 p.m.: Wendle hits into a double play. Ninth inning time.
10:39 p.m.: Paredes walks Adames.
10:36 p.m.: Right-handerEnoli Paredes replaces Blake Taylor with a runner on first and one out.
Top 8
10:26 p.m.: Bregman chases an 100 mph fastball to end the inning. The Astros inch closer but will have just one more chance to even the score.
Alex Bregman can't touch the high heat.pic.twitter.com/LNllQeTgQL
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 18, 2020
10:23 p.m.: TWO-RUN SINGLE FOR CORREA. Game on.
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2020Correa cuts the deficit in half. 👀
📺: Game 7 on @TBSNetwork pic.twitter.com/N70Nr8cnZD
10:21 p.m.: Four-pitch walk. Correa comes up with the bases loaded, down by four. Drama!
4-pitch walk. Bases now loaded. Carlos Correa up to the plate 👀 pic.twitter.com/drRZtZPs0B
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 18, 2020
10:21 p.m.: A ball in the dirt squirts away from Zunino, allowing Altuve to advance to second.
10:20 p.m.: Peter Fairbanks enters to face Brantley.
10:16 p.m.: Adames can't handle a grounder to his third base side. It's ruled an infield single for Altuve. First and third with two outs.
10:14 p.m.: Springer grounds into a fielder's choice following a walk byAledmys Diaz.
10:11 p.m.: The Rays are four outs away from the second World Series appearance in franchise history.
10:10 p.m.: Anderson remains on the mound for the eighth. He retires Reddick on one pitch.
Bottom 7
11:06 p.m.: Taylor pitches a clean seventh.
11:03 p.m.: Left-hander Blake Taylor is in for the Astros.
Top 7
10:57 p.m.: Yuli Gurrielspoils the rally by hitting into a double play.
10:56 p.m.: Kyle Tucker delivers a hard-hit single up the middle. Bregman advances to third base.
10:55 p.m.: Bregman, who has been slumping, drops a single into right field.
10:54 p.m.: Correa flies out on the first pitch he sees.
Bottom 6
10:51 p.m.:Kiermaier strikes out. Onto the seventh inning we go.
10:47 p.m.: Zunino comes through with a sacrifice fly.
10:45 p.m.: Wendle advances Choi to third with a fly ball to deep right.
10:41 p.m.: Adames walks. The two-on, no-out situation prompts a lengthy mound meeting.
10:38 p.m.: Choi drills a leadoff single up the middle.
Top 6
10:36 p.m.: Anderson induces a ground out.
If it works, it works! pic.twitter.com/UplmgopZxr
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) October 18, 2020
10:30 p.m.: Kevin Cash takes out Morton at 66 pitches. Wow. He'll be crushed if that move backfires.
Charlie Morton joins John Smoltz (1991) as the only pitchers ever with MULTIPLE career starts of 5+ scoreless in a Game 7. pic.twitter.com/RlFQvV3CfE
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 18, 2020
10:29 p.m.: Infield hit for Jose Altuve. First and third with two outs for the Astros.
10:29 p.m.: The Rays have Nick Anderson up in the bullpen. Have to imagine Morton would be very unhappy to be pulled anytime soon.
10:26 p.m.: Springer hits into a fielder's choice, beating out a possible double play.
10:25 p.m.: Maldonado draws a four-pitch walk.
10:23 p.m.: Morton strikes out Josh Reddick to start the sixth.
Bottom 5
10:19 p.m.: Correa, stationed at second base withMeadows hitting, ranges way into foul territory to make an inning-ending catch.
10:18 p.m. Urquidy fools Arozarena with a breaking ball. The outfielder was way out in front of a hittable pitch and whiffed. Two outs.
10:13 p.m.: Lowe grounds into a fielder's choice. One out.
10:11 p.m.: Urquidy walks Margot.
10:09 p.m.: Right-handerJose Urquidy comes in for the bottom of the fifth.
Top 5
10:05 p.m.: Six-pitch inning.
10:04 p.m. Morton still hasn't thrown his 50th pitch. He's now retired 12 in a row.
10:02 p.m.: Choi stretches out to snag an errant throw to first base, preventing a leadoff baserunner.
Bottom 4
9:59 p.m.: Left-hander Brooks Raley does his job and strikes out Kevin Kiermaier.
9:53 p.m.: McCullers strikes out Zunino. He's then pulled from the game with two outs and Wendle on first base.
9:48 p.m.: Wendle hits a one-out single.
Top 4
9:44 p.m.: Morton tosses another three-up, three-down inning. He's retired 10 in a row.
Bottom 3
9:35 p.m.: Meadows hits an inning-ending flyout.
9:30 p.m.: Altuve boots a ground ball but still gets the force out at second base. Two down.
9:28 p.m.: Lowe bunts for a hit. Arozarena groundsinto a fielder's choice and stands on first with one out.
9:27 p.m.: Have to think McCullers' leash is short moving forward. Any trouble and he might get pulled.
Top 3
9:25 p.m.:Morton twirls a seven-pitch inning. He looks really good.
Bottom 2
9:20 p.m.: McCullers strikes out the next two batters and we're through two innings in San Diego.
9:15 p.m.: Mike Zunino hits a solo home run to extend Tampa Bay's lead to 3-0.
HOLY ZUNINO 💥@RaysBaseball leads 3-0! pic.twitter.com/xcM1XFbiv1
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 18, 2020
Top 2
9:08 p.m.: Morton sets down the Astros in order.
9:04 p.m.: Adames robs Alex Bregman of a hit with a nifty play at shortstop.
Let Willy spin! 😮 pic.twitter.com/Ii7SXaWZRr
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2020
Bottom 1
9 p.m.: Willy Adames strikes out to end the frame. McCullers needed 30 pitches to get through the inning.
8:58 p.m.: Ji-Man Choi draws a walk after an Austin Meadows strikeout.
8:57p.m.: Arozarena has seven postseason home runs now.
8:52 p.m.: RANDY AROZARENA DOES IT AGAIN. TWO-RUN HOME RUN.
CAN'T. STOP. RANDY.pic.twitter.com/VVR9eTaSc2
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) October 18, 2020
8:49 p.m.: Lowe strikes out. One gone with Margot still on first base.
8:48 p.m.: Brandon Lowe, the No. 2 hitter for the Rays, has been awful during the postseason. His stellar regular-season play has kept him high in the lineup. A hit here would really kickstart an early rally.
8:47 p.m.:Lance McCullers drills Manuel Margot in the back on his first offering of the game.
Top 1
8:43 p.m.: Carlos Correa strikes out on a pitch in the dirt to end the top of the first.
8:42 p.m.: Michael Brantley delivers an opposite-field single with two outs. Classic Brantley at-bat.
8:35 p.m.: Charlie Morton'sthe first pitch is outsideand Game 7 is underway.
Astros vs. Rays start time
- First pitch: 8:35 p.m. ET
- TV channel: TBS
- Live stream: Watch TBS
Game 7 between the Astros and Rays is scheduled to start at 8:35 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast nationally on TBS.
World Series schedule 2020
The 2020 World Series will take place exclusively in Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. It's the only postseason series in 2020 that has built-in off days, as well.
In years past, World Series first pitch usually occurs around 8:07 p.m. ET, so expect that for 2020.
| Date | Game | Start time | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Oct. 20 | Game 1 | TBD | Fox |
| Wednesday, Oct. 21 | Game 2 | TBD | Fox |
| Friday, Oct. 23 | Game 3 | TBD | Fox |
| Saturday, Oct. 24 | Game 4 | TBD | Fox |
| Sunday, Oct. 25 | Game 5* | TBD | Fox |
| Tuesday, Oct. 27 | Game 6* | TBD | Fox |
| Wednesday, Oct. 28 | Game 7* | TBD | Fox |
*If necessary
