SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays' offense has fallen largely silent on the brink of the World Series except for an occasional homer.
The Rays might not go any farther if they can't simply put some men on base and score a few more old-fashioned runs than the Houston Astros, who beat them 4-3 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.
It's no secret the Rays are struggling at the plate in the postseason while batting just .210, but it hadn't really hurt them until the last two days in the ALCS as the Astros squeaked out a pair of wins.
