ARLINGTON, Texas -- Now the Texas Rangers wait to find out their playoff opponent.
After wrapping up a 95-win regular season on Sunday with a 6-4 loss in 10 innings to Tampa Bay, the AL West champion Rangers will open the AL Division Series at home on Thursday against the wild card winner -- Baltimore or Toronto.
That means a possible ALDS rematch against the Blue Jays, who last October overcame a 2-0 series deficit and won the deciding Game 5 at home after the Rangers had a three-error inning and Jose Bautista's emphatic bat flip after he hit the go-ahead homer.
When asked if it mattered if the Rangers (95-67) get another shot against the Blue Jays, shortstop Elvis Andrus responded, "Not really, because our final prize is not beating one team. We know we have to beat three teams to win it all."
In the last regular-season game between the Rangers and Blue Jays in Texas on May 15, second baseman Rougned Odor punched Bautista, igniting a bench-clearing brawl that led to several suspensions.
Texas manager Jeff Banister said he isn't concerned about who the Rangers play, or the situation that would surround any opponent.
"I think that our focus supersedes anything that we might encounter in any location. We don't get to choose whom we play, we don't get to choose where we play," Banister said. "We just have earned the opportunity to play someone, somewhere. ... We'll stay focused, dedicated to what we need to do, and I'll leave it at that."
In the regular-season finale Sunday, Alexei Ramirez had four hits, including a 10th-inning double before scoring for the Rays after Texas had tied the game in the ninth against closer Alex Colome.
The Rays then opened the 10th with three consecutive hits off Tanner Scheppers (1-1). Richie Shaffer led off with a single before going to third on Ramirez's double and scoring on a wild pitch. Curt Casali then had an RBI double.
While the Rangers fell one win shy of matching the franchise record for victories, they had already clinched home-field advantage through the postseason.
The Rays (68-94) finished with their worst record since going 66-96 in 2007, the year before going to their only World Series.
"Good win on the last day," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Long game, back and forth, but a nice win."
Andrus went 0 for 3 and had two strikeouts but finished the regular season with a .302 batting average. It is the first .300 season for the Rangers' longest-tenured position player in his eighth year -- and the player who had two errors in that decisive seventh inning last October.
"I've got to pound the table for a guy that at the end of the year last year, just where he was to where his determination, I think he told you all that this would be a time for him that would be an incredible moment and he was going to come back focused, rededicated and have a significant year," Banister said.
Jonathan Lucroy homered for Texas, his 24th this season and 11th for the Rangers since being acquired in a trade Aug. 1 from Milwaukee.
Jared Hoying, Robinson Chirinos and Hanser Alberto, hitting in the Nos. 2-4 spots after not being in the starting lineup, had consecutive singles to start the Texas ninth and tie the game 4-4 against Colome (2-4), who had only his third blown save in 40 chances this season.
HITTING .300
Adrian Beltre went 1 for 2 in the finale, to finish at exactly .300, along with 32 homers and 104 RBI. It is the sixth time in his career to hit .300, and the fourth time in six year with Texas. ... The Rangers had two .300 hitters in the regular season for the first time since 2012 with Beltre and David Murphy.
FIRST RUN IN A WHILE
Ramirez had an RBI single in the seventh off reliever Jake Diekman that made it 4-2 and ended the Rangers' franchise-record stretch of 35 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings by their bullpen.
SHORT HOPS
The game last exactly 4 hours, the second-longest game in length of time for Texas this season. ... Erasmo Ramirez, the seventh Rays pitcher and 14th in the game, worked the 10th for his second save.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier missed the finale with a bruised left calf after getting hit by a pitch in Saturday night's game.
Rangers: RF Shin-Soo Choo, playing for the third time after missing 39 games because of a broken left forearm, was 1 for 4 while playing seven innings.
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Tampa Bay Rays
After wrapping up a 95-win regular season on Sunday with a 6-4 loss in 10 innings to Tampa Bay, the AL West champion Rangers will open the AL Division Series at home on Thursday against the wild card winner -- Baltimore or Toronto.
That means a possible ALDS rematch against the Blue Jays, who last October overcame a 2-0 series deficit and won the deciding Game 5 at home after the Rangers had a three-error inning and Jose Bautista's emphatic bat flip after he hit the go-ahead homer.
When asked if it mattered if the Rangers (95-67) get another shot against the Blue Jays, shortstop Elvis Andrus responded, "Not really, because our final prize is not beating one team. We know we have to beat three teams to win it all."
In the last regular-season game between the Rangers and Blue Jays in Texas on May 15, second baseman Rougned Odor punched Bautista, igniting a bench-clearing brawl that led to several suspensions.
Texas manager Jeff Banister said he isn't concerned about who the Rangers play, or the situation that would surround any opponent.
"I think that our focus supersedes anything that we might encounter in any location. We don't get to choose whom we play, we don't get to choose where we play," Banister said. "We just have earned the opportunity to play someone, somewhere. ... We'll stay focused, dedicated to what we need to do, and I'll leave it at that."
In the regular-season finale Sunday, Alexei Ramirez had four hits, including a 10th-inning double before scoring for the Rays after Texas had tied the game in the ninth against closer Alex Colome.
The Rays then opened the 10th with three consecutive hits off Tanner Scheppers (1-1). Richie Shaffer led off with a single before going to third on Ramirez's double and scoring on a wild pitch. Curt Casali then had an RBI double.
While the Rangers fell one win shy of matching the franchise record for victories, they had already clinched home-field advantage through the postseason.
The Rays (68-94) finished with their worst record since going 66-96 in 2007, the year before going to their only World Series.
"Good win on the last day," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Long game, back and forth, but a nice win."
Andrus went 0 for 3 and had two strikeouts but finished the regular season with a .302 batting average. It is the first .300 season for the Rangers' longest-tenured position player in his eighth year -- and the player who had two errors in that decisive seventh inning last October.
"I've got to pound the table for a guy that at the end of the year last year, just where he was to where his determination, I think he told you all that this would be a time for him that would be an incredible moment and he was going to come back focused, rededicated and have a significant year," Banister said.
Jonathan Lucroy homered for Texas, his 24th this season and 11th for the Rangers since being acquired in a trade Aug. 1 from Milwaukee.
Jared Hoying, Robinson Chirinos and Hanser Alberto, hitting in the Nos. 2-4 spots after not being in the starting lineup, had consecutive singles to start the Texas ninth and tie the game 4-4 against Colome (2-4), who had only his third blown save in 40 chances this season.
HITTING .300
Adrian Beltre went 1 for 2 in the finale, to finish at exactly .300, along with 32 homers and 104 RBI. It is the sixth time in his career to hit .300, and the fourth time in six year with Texas. ... The Rangers had two .300 hitters in the regular season for the first time since 2012 with Beltre and David Murphy.
FIRST RUN IN A WHILE
Ramirez had an RBI single in the seventh off reliever Jake Diekman that made it 4-2 and ended the Rangers' franchise-record stretch of 35 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings by their bullpen.
SHORT HOPS
The game last exactly 4 hours, the second-longest game in length of time for Texas this season. ... Erasmo Ramirez, the seventh Rays pitcher and 14th in the game, worked the 10th for his second save.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: CF Kevin Kiermaier missed the finale with a bruised left calf after getting hit by a pitch in Saturday night's game.
Rangers: RF Shin-Soo Choo, playing for the third time after missing 39 games because of a broken left forearm, was 1 for 4 while playing seven innings.
71°Clear
3:05PM,EDT,October 2,2016
Globe Life Park in Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Globe Life Park in Arlington, Arlington, Texas
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Tampa Bay - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Perez pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Forsythe grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Mahtook grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Longoria doubled to deep left. | 0 | 0 |
| Dickerson struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Chase Whitley pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Gómez lined out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Choo grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Beltrán popped out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Martin Perez pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Shaffer doubled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| A. Ramírez reached on infield single to pitcher, Shaffer to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Casali singled to center, Shaffer scored, A. Ramírez to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Maile grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Casali out at second, A. Ramírez to third. | 1 | 0 |
| Decker hit sacrifice fly to left, A. Ramírez scored. | 2 | 0 |
| Forsythe singled to left, Maile to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Mahtook grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Forsythe out at second. | 2 | 0 |
| 2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Chase Whitley pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Beltré singled to left. | 2 | 0 |
| Mazara lined out to center. | 2 | 0 |
| Lucroy singled to left, Beltré to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Andrus flied out to center. | 2 | 0 |
| Rua singled to center, Beltré scored, Lucroy to third. | 2 | 1 |
| Rua stole second. | 2 | 1 |
| Profar lined out to right. | 2 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Martin Perez pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Longoria safe at first on error by shortstop Andrus. | 2 | 1 |
| Dickerson lined out to center. | 2 | 1 |
| Shaffer struck out swinging. | 2 | 1 |
| A. Ramírez singled to right, Longoria to second. | 2 | 1 |
| Casali walked, Longoria to third, A. Ramírez to second. | 2 | 1 |
| Maile reached on infield single to shortstop, Longoria scored, A. Ramírez to third, Casali to second. | 3 | 1 |
| Decker grounded out to pitcher. | 3 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Chase Whitley pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Gómez struck out looking. | 3 | 1 |
| Choo lined out to center. | 3 | 1 |
| Beltrán singled to right. | 3 | 1 |
| Beltré flied out to right. | 3 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Jose Leclerc pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| DeShields in center field. | 3 | 1 |
| Leclerc relieved Pérez. | 3 | 1 |
| Alberto at third base. | 3 | 1 |
| Forsythe popped out to first. | 3 | 1 |
| Mahtook flied out to center. | 3 | 1 |
| Longoria grounded out to second. | 3 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Chase Whitley pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Mazara struck out swinging. | 3 | 1 |
| Lucroy homered to right center (386 feet). | 3 | 2 |
| Andrus struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| Rua singled to left. | 3 | 2 |
| Rua stole second. | 3 | 2 |
| Profar struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Jose Leclerc pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Nicholas catching. | 3 | 2 |
| Dickerson struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| Shaffer struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| A. Ramírez flied out to left. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Ryan Garton pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Garton relieved Whitley. | 3 | 2 |
| DeShields struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| Choo singled to center. | 3 | 2 |
| Chirinos hit for Beltrán. | 3 | 2 |
| Chirinos popped out to second. | 3 | 2 |
| Alberto lined out to center. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Jeremy Jeffress pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Jeffress relieved Leclerc. | 3 | 2 |
| Casali walked. | 3 | 2 |
| Maile grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Casali out at second. | 3 | 2 |
| Decker doubled to right. | 3 | 2 |
| Decker to third on wild pitch by Jeffress. | 3 | 2 |
| Forsythe flied out to right. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Eddie Gamboa pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Gamboa relieved Garton. | 3 | 2 |
| Mazara struck out looking. | 3 | 2 |
| Nicholas reached on infield single to third. | 3 | 2 |
| Andrus struck out swinging. | 3 | 2 |
| Nicholas picked off first. | 3 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Jake Diekman pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Alberto at shortstop. | 3 | 2 |
| Gallo at third base. | 3 | 2 |
| Diekman relieved Jeffress. | 3 | 2 |
| Mahtook flied out to center. | 3 | 2 |
| Longoria struck out swinging, Longoria safe at first on wild pitch by Diekman. | 3 | 2 |
| Dickerson grounded into fielder's choice to third, Longoria out at second, Dickerson to second on throwing error by second baseman Profar. | 3 | 2 |
| Shaffer walked. | 3 | 2 |
| A. Ramírez singled to right, Dickerson scored, Shaffer to third. | 4 | 2 |
| Álvarez relieved Diekman. | 4 | 2 |
| Shaffer caught stealing home, pitcher to first to third. | 4 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Eddie Gamboa pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Rua walked. | 4 | 2 |
| Profar walked, Rua to second. | 4 | 2 |
| DeShields struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
| Choo flied out to center, Rua to third. | 4 | 2 |
| Chirinos struck out looking. | 4 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Dario Alvarez pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Hoying in right field. | 4 | 2 |
| Casali fouled out to first. | 4 | 2 |
| Maile grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 2 |
| Decker lined out to right. | 4 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Brad Boxberger pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Boxberger relieved Gamboa. | 4 | 2 |
| Alberto grounded out to third. | 4 | 2 |
| Mazara walked. | 4 | 2 |
| Nicholas struck out swinging. | 4 | 2 |
| Gallo walked, Mazara to second. | 4 | 2 |
| Rua walked, Mazara to third, Gallo to second. | 4 | 2 |
| Profar walked, Mazara scored, Gallo to third, Rua to second. | 4 | 3 |
| Farquhar relieved Boxberger. | 4 | 3 |
| DeShields struck out swinging. | 4 | 3 |
| 1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Keone Kela pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Kela relieved Álvarez. | 4 | 3 |
| Forsythe doubled to right. | 4 | 3 |
| Mahtook struck out swinging. | 4 | 3 |
| Longoria grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Forsythe out at third. | 4 | 3 |
| Dickerson flied out to left. | 4 | 3 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Alex Colome pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| Colomé relieved Farquhar. | 4 | 3 |
| Hoying singled to right center. | 4 | 3 |
| Chirinos singled to left center, Hoying to third. | 4 | 3 |
| Alberto singled to center, Hoying scored, Chirinos to second. | 4 | 4 |
| Mazara struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
| Nicholas flied out to center. | 4 | 4 |
| Gallo struck out swinging. | 4 | 4 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 10th | SCORE | |
| Tanner Scheppers pitching for Texas | TB | TEX |
| Scheppers relieved Kela. | 4 | 4 |
| Shaffer singled to left. | 4 | 4 |
| A. Ramírez doubled to right, Shaffer to third. | 4 | 4 |
| Shaffer scored, A. Ramírez to third on wild pitch by Scheppers. | 5 | 4 |
| Casali doubled to left, A. Ramírez scored. | 6 | 4 |
| Maile struck out swinging. | 6 | 4 |
| Decker struck out swinging. | 6 | 4 |
| Casali to third on wild pitch by Scheppers. | 6 | 4 |
| Forsythe grounded out to third. | 6 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Texas - Bottom of 10th | SCORE | |
| Erasmo Ramirez pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | TEX |
| E. Ramírez relieved Colomé. | 6 | 4 |
| Rua grounded out to second. | 6 | 4 |
| Profar flied out to right. | 6 | 4 |
| DeShields struck out swinging. | 6 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Tampa Bay Rays
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsythe 2B | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | .264 | .333 | .444 |
| Mahtook CF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | .195 | .231 | .292 |
| Longoria 3B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | .273 | .318 | .521 |
| Dickerson LF | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | .245 | .293 | .469 |
| Shaffer 1B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 20 | .250 | .315 | .438 |
| A. Ramírez SS | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .246 | .295 | .386 |
| Casali DH | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 26 | .186 | .273 | .336 |
| Maile C | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 22 | .227 | .252 | .361 |
| Decker RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .154 | .211 | .173 |
| Totals | 42 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 186 | |||
| BATTING 2B: Longoria (41, Pérez); Shaffer (6, Pérez); Decker (1, Jeffress); Forsythe (24, Kela); A. Ramírez (4, Scheppers); Casali (10, Scheppers) RBI: Casali 2 (25), Decker (1), Maile (15), A. Ramírez (7) SF: Decker 2-out RBI: Maile, A. Ramírez GIDP: Maile Rays RISP: 5-15 (Forsythe 0-2, Dickerson 0-1, Casali 2-2, Decker 0-2, A. Ramírez 2-2, Maile 1-3, Longoria 0-1, Mahtook 0-2) Team LOB: 10 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING CS: Shaffer (1, Home by Álvarez) | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Globe Life Park in Arlington, Arlington, TX |
| Attendance | 37,015 (76.9% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 4:00 |
| Weather | 82 degrees, sunny |
| Wind | 7 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Ramon DeJesus, First Base - Mike Winters, Second Base - Mike Muchlinski, Third Base - Mark Wegner |
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