Arozarena steals the show in ALDS game 1

Thursday night the Tampa Bay Rays shut out the Boston Red Sox 5 – 0, and had a lot of fun doing so. Rookie starting pitcher Shane McClanahan said the “Trop was buzzing, and we love that.” He rode that energy, striking out the first three batters of his postseason career.  

The offense did its part in the bottom of the first. Randy Arozarena walked and then scored all the way from first on a Wander Franco double, thanks to third-base coach Rodney Linares astutely noticing the outfielder bobbling the baseball. From there, it felt like the Rays had pole position and weren’t looking back. 

McClanahan went five scoreless innings. JT Chargois, David Robertson and J.P. Feyereisen completed the team shutout. Feyereisen handled the only real tough spot for the Rays: In the 8th, the Red Sox loaded the bases with one out. Feyereisen struck out dangerous slugger Rafael Devers on four pitches, and got Hunter Renfroe out on a popup foul ball. 

The play of the game came in the 7th. Randy Arozarena wasn’t being held on third by Devers. Lefty Boston pitcher Nick Pivetta had his back to third and was distracted preparing for his next pitch. Arozarena had been prowling and eager to try stealing home. Manager Kevin Cash recounts: “Well, they had Devers pulled off third base. Taylor with the matchup for Brandon. His back is to him, and, you know, Randy – he has asked me all season long verde, verde, verde, green light, green light, and we’ve tried to manage that. He finally got his 20th in New York the last series, but he got the green light. We gave it to him and said, all right, if you feel it.”

And indeed he felt it. 

Randy Arozarena is the first player to steal home in a #postseason game since 2016 😳 pic.twitter.com/a9Qvf8Bgfg

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2021

Strong base running in the first, a 397 ft solo home run in the fifth and a stolen home base in the seventh earned Arozarena a curtain call from the appreciative Rays fanbase. 

Nelson Cruz added another rare treat for fans when he clanged a high fly ball off the catwalk hanging from the Tropicana Field roof. By Trop ground rules, it counted as a home run. 

Shane Baz faces Chris Sale in Game 2 on Friday night.