Correa Becomes Latest Astros Hero In Walk-Off Win Over Rays

Keuchel entered Wednesday’s game 11-0 in his 13 starts at Minute Maid Park this season and having won 12 consecutive home decisions but got the no-decision in this contest.

However the outcome was painfully the identical, a second straight extra-innings walkoff loss that left the Rays shaking their heads in frustration after a shocking flip from a recreation they led 2-1 within the ninth with All-Star Brad Boxberger on the mound. He struck out the first batter he faced, allowed a single and then struck out the next two to get out of the bases loaded jam. In the ninth, Pat Neshek allowed a leadoff single to Beckman but Jose Altuve had a double play when he caught a Loney line drive and picked off Beckman at first.

“They’re tough losses”, manager Kevin Cash said. They all count the same.

Josh Fields (4-1) got the last two outs of the 13th for the win. 500 overall, at 59-61, and further from any realistic chance of competing for an AL wild-card playoff spot. It dropped their majors-worst document in additional innings to 2-10. They both got one in the 12th, but were unable to do anything more.

And with one out, Boxberger threw a 2-and-1 pitch that Evan Gattis slapped up the middle through the drawn-in infield to score the tying run.

The Rays had trouble stringing hits together against Dallas Keuchel until the seventh. First baseman James Loney followed with a sacrifice fly, knocking in Beckham for a 2-1 lead. The throw was offline but he didn’t realize it and he leapt over a diving Hank Conger on the way to the plate to put the Rays on top.

Nate Karns fanned eight while holding the Astros to one run over six innings on Wednesday.

After six strong innings from starter Karns (and solely 84 pitches on an evening they have been shorthanded within the bullpen) and a stunning 1-2-Three performances by relievers Xavier Cedeno and Alex Colome (who struck out the aspect on 10 pitches), the Rays put the 2-1 lead in Boxberger’s proper hand.

Rays: LHP Jake McGee traveled to Tampa on Wednesday and was scheduled to see a doctor on Thursday morning after injuring his left knee on Tuesday night.

“The zone control that he shows, the discipline is exceptional, ” manager A.J. Hinch said. Brandon Guyer had three hits and Logan Forsythe and Tim Beckham had two hits each as the Rays scored two runs on 10 hits.