When it’s the World Series, you gotta give your all. Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson did that on Monday night in Game 3 against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Brewers batter Sal Frelick hit a sharp liner to left field at Tropicana Field. Frelick thought the ball might have either been over Simpson’s head or, even better, a home run. If Simpson doesn’t make the play, the ball may have caromed off the wall and back to center field.
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Instead, Simpson turned the jets on. He made a leaping grab and crashed face first into the wall. He hung onto the ball and was able to get it back to the infield before Garrett Mitchell could advance to second base.
Tampa Bay saved a run and the possibility of giving momentum to Milwaukee early in the game.
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The second-year outfielder may need to step up a little bit more for the Rays as they came into the game facing a 2-0 deficit. Simpson has been 3-for-8 in the series with an RBI and two strikeouts. But if the team is going to be inspired by defensive magic, Simpson may have brought it.
Milwaukee and Tampa Bay were two of the best teams in baseball all year. They each came into the series as the No. 1 seed in the postseason, having earned byes into their respective Division Series.
The Brewers defeated the Rays 3-2 in Game 1 and 5-4 in Game 2. The intensity of the games have been almost too close for comfort. But that’s baseball, Suzyn.
