NEW YORK — The Rays reached another milestone Saturday afternoon, earning their 100th victory of the season.
And with the 12-2 win, they once again kept the Yankees from theirs, which was clinching an American League wild-card berth in the playoffs.
As big a story were the exploits of Brandon Lowe, who swatted a team-record-tying three homers, two three-run shots and a solo blast. That gave him 39 for a season that started somewhat miserably, along with 99 RBIs.
Shane Baz, the 22-year-old rookie who has seemingly pitched his way into the postseason rotation, worked 2 2/3 innings, throwing 51 pitches but allowing only one run — a homer by Anthony Rizzo in the first.
Randy Arozarena, Wander Franco, Nelson Cruz, Manuel Margot and Mike Zunino also had multiple hits for the Rays. Zunino hit his 33rd homer, and Austin Meadows his 27th.
Having already won the East Division title, secured the AL’s best record and home-field advantage through at least the first two rounds of the playoffs, and set the franchise record for wins in a season, the 100-win mark was about the last thing the Rays were shooting for in regular-season play.
They became the third team to do so this season, joining the Giants and Dodgers, who play in the less-balanced, to put it politely, National League West, compared to the AL East, which has four playoff contenders.
The Rays also became the 19th American League team to reach triple digits since the 1995 advent of the wild-card playoff format; seven of the first 18 reached the World Series, and four won it: 1998 and 2009 Yankees, 2017 Astros and 2018 Red Sox.
And the Rays became the 22nd AL team with 100 wins in the past 40 years.
Lowe became the fifth Ray to hit three homers in a game, the first since Travis d’Arnaud on July 15, 2019. Evan Longoria did so twice, Sept. 18, 2008, and Oct. 3., 2012, and B.J. Upton (Sept. 12, 2012) and Jonny Gomes (July 30, 2005) once each.
Assuming Lowe is in the lineup for Sunday’s regular-season finale, he would have a chance to join Carlos Pena as the only Ray to hit 40 in season. As it is, Lowe is tied for second on the Rays’ single-season list, behind Pena’s 46 in 2007, and matching Pena’s 39 in 2009. Logan Morrison hit 38 in 2017.
Lowe also has a chance to join Meadows with 100 RBIs, something which hadn’t been done previously by a Ray since Longoria in 2010. Lowe would be the seventh Ray to reach 100 RBIs, and it would be the 12th time it has happened in franchise history. The Rays only once have had two players with 100 RBIs in the same season, when Longoria had 113 and Pena 100 in 2009.
Lowe’s career-high seven RBIs on the day match the second most by a Ray, as Pena had seven on Sept. 5, 2007, against Baltimore. Ben Zobrist set the franchise record of eight on April 28, 2011. Lowe also tied the Rays’ single-game record of 12 total base.
Arozarena also has a chance for a milestone, needing one more stolen base, after getting two Saturday, to reach the 20-20 club.
The Rays took the lead from the start against Jordan Montgomery, as Arozarena led off with a walk, Franco singled and with two outs, Lowe hit his first three-run homer.
The Yankees pulled even in their first, but the Rays (100-61) broke the game open in the third. Franco led off with a single, Yandy Diaz walked with one out and Lowe delivered his second three-run homer.
The Yankees (91-70) came into the day needing just a win to secure one of the wild-card spots. Instead they went home to see if they could back in with losses by the Blue Jays and Mariners, or would still be battling on Sunday.
