Rays’ Yandy Diaz makes good on vow to end Guardians ALCS dreams with 8th inning home run appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Yandy Diaz blurted out “it all ends tomorrow” following the Game 5 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter made good on that promise during the eighth inning. Now the Rays have earned their third American League title following the 7-3 home win.
Diaz sent Tropicana Field into a wild frenzy off this two-run home run rip that sealed the Game 6 victory.
YANDY DÍAZ NO-DOUBT HOME RUN! pic.twitter.com/ku7BxY904U
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Diaz blasted through a 75 miles per hour changeup and watched the ball sail 416 feet before scaling over the left field wall. He made good on his vow that he would help end the series.
From there, closer Bryan Baker forced two ground outs via his 83 mph changeup. Then he got Chase DeLauter out on a foul out that fell into the catcher’s hands. And once again, Baker leaned into the changeup to send the Rays back to the World Series.
Tampa Bay even brought out former Rays stars Randy Arozarena and past pitcher Tyler Glasnow, the latter part of the last Rays World Series team of 2020. Glasnow took in the action after his Los Angeles Dodgers got swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Those ex-Rays stars watched new ALCS stars become birthed at “The Trop.” Junior Caminero smashed a two-run home run that lifted the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the seventh, which he ripped off his first swing. Chandler Simpson hit a personal milestone too, sprinting 3.78 seconds to first base following a bunt.
So now the Rays will face a franchise that also hasn’t won a WS in their history. The Brewers are 0-1 lifetime on baseball’s big stage. Milwaukee has tasted a baseball championship, though, which came in 1957 when the Braves represented the city.
Related: Rays superstar Junior Caminero pays Randy Arozarena with perfect homage after Game 6 blast
Related: Rays’ Freddy Peralta wins ALCS MVP before facing former team Brewers in World Series