https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2019/10/03/rays-ride-power-display-to-wild-card-win-in-oakland/

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Rays insisted they weren’t nervous, intimidated or overwhelmed by the pomp or the circumstance of playing their first postseason game since 2013, and the first in many of their careers, saying they were ready.

Manager Kevin Cash said it during a relaxed chat in his office midafternoon Wednesday.

Centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier promised it during his pregame interview room segment.

And then they went out and showed it, and in powerful style, beating the A’s 5-1 in the AL wild-card game and moving on to a division series matchup with the Astros starting Friday in Houston.

Yandy Diaz, who wasn’t expected to be in the lineup and until the past week or so was a question to play again this season, homered to lead off the game and again in the third. Avisail Garcia hit a two-run homer in the second. Tommy Pham added a solo shot in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Charlie Morton gave the Rays five good enough innings, Diego Castillo an impressive two, then Nick Anderson and former A’s reliever Emilio Pagan closed it out.

"Just happy as can be that these guys have a chance to keep on going,'' GM Erik Neander said on the fringe of the wet and wild clubhouse celebration. "It’s a helluva group. These guys are really special. ''

Just like the Rays weren’t affected by the stage, the spotlight and the record crowd of 54,005 for a wild-card game, they insist they’ll be up to the challenge of playing the Astros, who won a majors-most 107 games and boast an aces-high rotation that starts with Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke. The Rays won the season series 4-3.

“Look, they’re better than us. Their pitching is better, their hitting is better,’’ Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said before Wednesday’s game. “But we find a way to just keep it close. If we were a team that had to hit the ball and win games 8-6, I wouldn’t be saying this. But I feel pretty strong that over a five- or seven-game series we’re going to be involved in a bunch of one-run, two-run games, and those games you can be on either side of it.’’

Further, Sternberg said, “I really do feel if this team plays to its fullest we can beat any of the teams out there. Doesn’t mean it’s easy, doesn’t mean we’re not going to have some good fortune. “If we pitch the ball like we’re supposed to, we’re smart on the basepaths and we’re able to have some solid at-bats, especially getting past this game, we can beat either or both of those other teams we’re going to face, whoever they might be, until we get to the (World) Series.’’

Some of what the Rays did Wednesday was unexpected.

As a team, they became just the third in postseason history to hit four home runs in a winner-take-all game, joining the 2004 Red Sox (ALCS Game 7) and 1956 Yankees (World Series Game 7).

And just the second time in the franchise’s five postseason trips to hit four homers in a game, matching their efforts in Game 3 of the 2008 ALCS against Boston.

Individually, Diaz became the first leadoff hitter in MLB history to homer in each of his first two at-bats of a single postseason.

And he became the fifth Ray to hit two homers in a playoff game. Evan Longoria did it in Game 1 of the 2008 ALDS against the White Sox, B.J. Upton in Game 4 of the same series, Kelly Shoppach in Game 1 of the 2011 ALDS against Texas and Desmond Jennings in Game 3 of that same series.

Diaz said he just welcomed the opportunity to be part of it.