ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ The Rays were feeling pretty good about themselves Saturday.
Except for the part about Ji-Man Choi having to helped off the field in the fourth inning after straining his left hamstring.
The Rays posted a second straight win, rallying to beat the Red Sox, 5-4, and moving a step closer to clinching a playoff berth heading into the final two weeks of the season. They improved to 30-16 and at the least maintained their 4-{ game lead in the American League East.
Brandon Lowe had the biggest hit of the night, a 431-foot homer with one out in the seventh to put the Rays ahead. That was moments after Tyler Glasnow spoiled what had been an impressive outing, allowing a two-run homer with two outs to Christian Arroyo allowing the Red Sox to tie it at 4.
The Rays took the early lead when Austin Meadows, showing some signs of warming after an extended slow start, led off with a homer off ex-Ray Nathan Eovaldi, making his first start after an injured-list stint due to a calf strain.
The Sox tied it in the third when Michael Chavis homered off Glasnow, then went ahead in a bit of a messy fourth, with Kevin Plawecki singling in Xander Bogaerts.
But the Rays rallied for three in the fourth. Choi led off with a walk, and Willy Adames drew another with one out. Nate Lowe singled in Choi, then Manuel Margot laced a double that scored two.
Choi was racing home from second when he grabbed the back of his leg as he started his slide. He stayed on the ground initially and, given his playful nature, it wasn't immediately clear he was hurt until he had trouble getting up and was attended to by Rays' head athletic trainer Joe Benge.
Choi had been on a warming trend after an extended slump, reaching base three times Friday and rapping hits his first two times up Saturday, a 13-for-41 stretch raising his average from .195 to .230.
The Rays started the day on a bit of a high after Friday's 11-1 win over the Red Sox that served a dual purpose _ snapping a three-game losing streak that was their longest in more than a month and awakening an offense that had been impotent for weeks.
With 14 games left to play over the final two weeks of the pandemic-delayed and abbreviated season, they had reason to be confident, with the chance to head into the playoffs as one of the top seeds in the American League.
"I feel like we've put ourselves in a good spot," manager Kevin Cash said before the game. "In two weeks, we can still get more accomplished. It starts with winning games. But then, also getting some (injured) guys back. It would be really nice."
He mentioned reliever Oliver Drake, who is expected to return Tuesday after missing more than a month with a biceps strain. Catcher Mike Zunino, who is progressing well from an oblique strain. Infielder Yandy Diaz, who is in earlier stages of recovery from a hamstring strain. Even reliever Jose Alvarado, whose sore shoulder has healed enough to where he will soon start throwing in simulated games in Port Charlotte and could be activated during the playoffs.
But now Choi seems likely to join the injured list. Nate Lowe, who was called up when Diaz went on the injured list Sept. 1, is likely to get more time at first.
Team leader Kevin Kiermaier also likes what he has seen.
"I feel really good about our team, where we're at," Kiermaier said. "We know we could have played better as of recent. But those things happen throughout a season. "We had that one for five games earlier in the year, and we rebounded great off that. That's what all really good teams do, and we did just that.
"And hopefully (Friday) night's little offensive outburst and our pitchers keeping a very good offense over there limited to one run was a big factor moving forward. Just because we know we can play better than what we have, as of late. ... We just want to get all our guys healthy, feeling good about themselves in the final stretch of the season and hopefully into the playoffs."
Veteran starter Charlie Morton is also optimistic, based not just on what the Rays have done, but how they've done it.
"We went on a tear there, and we lost a few games," Morton said. "I think it was pretty great to see the team lose three in a row there and then just come out (Friday) and dominate. But really, the guys are loose. I mean, it's been the same way since I got here. There's a really good culture here. Guys care about each other."
