page_title: 2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker game
section_title: Game summary
hierarchical_section_title: 2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker game / Game summary
caption_attribution_description: English: Evan Longoria
context_page_description: The 2013 American League Wild Card tie-breaker game was a one-game extension to Major League Baseball's 2013 regular season, played between the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays to determine the second participant in the 2013 American League Wild Card Game. It was played at the Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 30, 2013. The Rays defeated the Rangers, 5–2, and advanced to the AL Wild Card Game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, which they won 4–0; the Rangers failed to qualify for the postseason.
  The tie-breaker game was necessary after both teams finished the season with win–loss records of 91–71 and thus tied for the second Wild Card position in the AL. The Rangers were awarded home field for the game, as they won the regular season series against the Rays, 4–3. The game was televised on TBS. It was the fourth tie-breaker in MLB history for a Wild Card spot, although it was the first since MLB adopted its current format of two Wild Card teams playing in a Wild Card Game in 2012. The tie-breaker counted as the 163rd regular season game for both teams, with all events in the game added to regular season statistics.
context_section_description: Desmond Jennings opened the first inning with a single, but was thrown out at second base trying to stretch the hit into a double. Wil Myers then walked, advanced to third base on singles by Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria, and finally scored on a sacrifice fly by Delmon Young. Rays starter David Price struck out leadoff batter Ian Kinsler, then allowed a walk to Elvis Andrus but picked him off and finished the inning by retiring Alex Ríos. The score remained 1–0 until the top of the third inning, when Jennings drew a walk and scored on a home run by Longoria to give the Rays a 3–0 lead. The Rangers struck right back in the bottom half, as Craig Gentry led off the inning with a single. After advancing to second on a Leonys Martín groundout, he scored on a single to right field by Kinsler. The Rays scored again in the sixth, as Longoria doubled to lead off the inning, and advanced to third base on a groundout by Young. The next batter, David DeJesus, hit a double to right field that scored Longoria and put the Rays ahead, 4–1. Rangers reliever Alexi Ogando entered the game with one out and recorded the final two outs to end the inning.
  After a single and a stolen base from Andrus, Ríos doubled in the bottom half of the sixth to cut the score to 4–2. A small controversy arose in the top of the seventh inning. Longoria and Myers were on first and second base respectively with two outs when Young hit a line drive to center field. Replays showed that the ball bounced into Leonys Martín's (the Rangers' center fielder) glove after hitting the ground, making it a trap and therefore should have been a hit. However, the umpires ruled the play an out, ending the inning without a run scoring. Ultimately, the issue did not affect the outcome. The Rays added onto their lead in the ninth inning when Sam Fuld stole third and a scored on a throwing error from Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers, extending their lead to 5–2. Price closed the game in the ninth, recording three straight outs and finishing off a complete game.
caption: Evan Longoria (pictured here in 2008) hit a two-run home run in the third inning
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