ST. PETERSBURG — It took the Rays nearly 3½ hours to score a run Monday, but it was worth it, Ben Zobrist's bases-loaded single with two outs in the ninth inning giving them a 1-0 win over the Yankees.
"Walkoffs are still fun," manager Joe Maddon said. "I thought our guys celebrated well."
Though it was only the Rays' 73rd win of a disappointing season, Maddon is pushing them for a .500 finish, noting they would be the first team to do so after being 18 games under. They need to win eight of their last 11 to do so.
"I'm still looking for us to get back to .500, that would be kind impressive," Maddon said. "I would hope that our guys would understand. To shoot for a first is always interesting around here."
But the Rays are also looking ahead to 2015. Calling up Alex Colome from Triple A to start Monday was part of the discovery process, and he certainly gave them plenty to think about, working impressively into the seventh. Four relievers took it from there as the Rays posted their major-league leading 21st shutout, most ever by an American League team in the DH era (since 1973).
Colome will be out of options and thus most likely on the team next season. The Rays will consider him both as a starter — depending, among other things, on whether they bring back Jeremy Hellickson — and a reliever.
"The only thing is letting everybody know what I can do when I'm on the mound," Colome said. "That's the only thing."
He made an impressive case Monday, mixing a fastball clocked in the 95 mph range with a 90-91 mph cutter/slider, and showing better command than in previous callups.
"The difference for me was that he was able to throw a fastball strike when he wanted to," Maddon said.
Colome, 25, scattered six hits, walking one and striking out four while throwing a career-high 113 pitches, which he admitted were too many. He got out of what trouble he had, though he was unable to finish the seventh when Maddon gave him the chance.
Still, it was an impressive performance.
"He was phenomenal," Zobrist said. "He has a miss fastball. He throws hard. They weren't catching up to it. I think we have a lot to look forward to with him."
Unable to do much against Chris Capuano, whom they knocked out in the first inning last week in New York, and a deep Yankees bullpen, the Rays finally broke through in the ninth.
Logan Forsythe singled with one out off Shawn Kelley and James Loney followed with a bloop single to center. After David DeJesus struck out and Matt Joyce walked to move Forsythe to third, Zobrist, who was 0-for-11 with the bases loaded this season and 1-for-his-last-20, laced a 1-and-1 pitch to rightfield. It was his fifth career walkoff hit, the Rays sixth walkoff win this season, third in September.
"Matty had a good at-bat to get it to me," Zobrist said. "I was fortunate I got that fastball in the middle of the plate and was able to get it out there. …
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