Taylor Walls' 3-Run Homer in 10th Gives Rays Dramatic Win over Cardinals
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay pitcher Jeffrey Springs had done his job, twirling six scoreless innings Tuesday night, and he was just finishing up in the training room when Taylor Walls strolled to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning with the Rays in another hole.
But Walls, a .151 hitter who's been struggling to find his groove, saved the day, ripping a long drive off of Cardinals reliever Drew VerHagen down the right field line that banged high off the foul pole for a three-run homer, giving the Rays a thrilling 4-2 win.
"Oh man, we were going nuts in (the locker room) watching it. I had just finished up my arm care stuff, and that was so exciting. It was unbelievable,'' Springs said. "Hitting is so hard, and he's been putting in a lot of work. I'm really happy for him that he could have a moment like that. I mean, we really needed that, really needed to get out of here with a win.''
They sure did, because the Rays have been struggling to find their way offensively. They blew a seven-inning scoreless start by Drew Rasmussen on Saturday, and it looked like they were going to waste Springs' gem on Tuesday, where he had pitched six scoreless innings, his fourth outing in the past seven where opponents have failed to score.
It was still scoreless when he left after the sixth inning. The Rays struck first in the seventh when Manuel Margot led off the inning with a double and clean-up hitter Kevin Kiermaier grounded out, moving Margot up a bag. Third baseman Isaac Parades hit a long sacrifice fly to left center, and the Rays had a lead.
St. Louis tied it back up in the eighth, getting a walk at two hits off Rays reliever Andrew Kittredge, who just came off the injured list on Sunday. The second single, by center fielder Harrison Bader, made it 1-1.
The Rays were in trouble in the top of the 10th. Colin Poche came in to pitch the 10th for Tampa Bay, and Paul Goldschmidt hit a ground ball to second to lead off the inning. Rays second baseman Vidal Brujan opted to throw to third to cut down placed runner Tommy Edman. But his throw was wide, and everyone was safe.
Nolan Arenado was hit by a pitch to load the bases with none out, and Lars Nootbaar hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Edman. Poche struck out Tyler O'Neill for the second out and, but then Harrison Bader ripped a single to center field. Kiermaier charged the ball hard and came up throwing, making a perfect toss that catcher Francisco Mejia handled well and got the tag down just in time for the final out.
"I just wanted to get to it quick and make a good, accurate throw,'' Kiermaier said. ''I did everything I could to get it there, but the best thing about that play was Frankie's tag. That was a heck of a tag, because it's not easy to do. He deserved all the credit for that one. Shout-out to Frankie.''
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Francisco Mejia (21) tags out St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (46) during the tenth inning at Tropicana Field. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
It was big, keeping it to a one-run game. Paredes walked to open the inning, and Brett Phillips tried to bunt despite two infielders charging. Arenado made a great play and throw to cut down Kiermaier, the placed runner, at third. Yandy Diaz popped out for the second out, bringing up Walls. With a 2-2 count, he ripped the ball down the line, and was worried it was going to hook foul.
"I was trying to breathe and stay composed in the moment, like I was playing Whiffle Ball in the back yard,'' said Walls, who had his first big-league walk-off and couldn't remember the last time he had done such a thing. "That was all that was going through my head, to stay calm and just breathe. I thought it was going foul, and I was borderline pissed off, honestly. As soon as I hit it, I thought, 'wow, that's way fair,' but then it really started hooking, and I'm thinking, 'you've got to be kidding me.'
"As soon as it hit the foul pole, it was just a roller coaster or emotions. from happy to pissed off to happy again. It feels great. I come in to compete every day, and I have confidence to make the right adjustments. It's huge not for me, but for us, because we really needed a win.''
Walls zipped around bases and touched home plated surrounded by jubilant teammates.
"Very impressive. You feel good for Wallsy, and any of these guys who have been scuffling a little bit,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "To come up with a big hit like that and ultimately help us win a ballgame has to be a great feeling for him.''
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (6) gets a Gatorade bath by Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi (26) as they beat the St. Louis Cardinals with Walls' walk-off home run during the 10th inning. Bally Sports Sun reporter Tricia Whitaker avoids the shower. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
The win snapped a two-game losing streak and put the Rays (32-23) back to nine games over .500. The Cardinals fell to 32-24.
And getting the win meant it made Springs' start even more valuable.
"(Springs) was awesome again,'' Cash said. "I just continue to be so impressed with his work. He's turned himself into a pretty good starting pitcher on the fly here.''
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws a pitch during the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Tropicana Field. (Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Watch Taylor Walls entire postgame interview
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