MLB Rankings: Greatest Hits in Week-21
4. Kevin Kiermaier, 43 percent
This has been a week of cliff-hangers for the wild card chasing Rays.
On Sunday they rallied from a three-run deficit to haul down the Detroit Tigers; more on that presently.
One day later the Mariners took the first two games and then rallied on Smith’s triple in the top of the ninth to seize a 6-5 lead.
For most of the season, Mariners manager Scott Servais would have called on Roenis Elias for the save. But Elias was traded prior to the deadline, leaving Servais to turn to Matt Magill as his closer. Until Wednesday, that strategy had worked well: Magill had recorded two saves, a win and a hold for the Mariners.
Leading by one with a half inning to play, a visiting team has a 78 percent statistical chance of winning…strong but no sure thing. Kiermaier turned those odds immediately, ripping a 3-2 Magill pitch for a 432-foot game-tying home run. It helped turn Tampa’s week into a winning one, maintaining their position in the wild card race.
That shifted the odds to 65 percent in favor of the home town Rays, and Tampa took it from there. Willy Adames singled, Mike Brousseau doubled him to third, and after Magill intentionally walked Ji Man Choi he delivered a wild pitch that allowed Adames to cross the plate with the winning run.