SAN DIEGO — Mike Brosseau homered off Aroldis Chapman with one out in the eighth inning, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night for a spot in the American League Championship Series for the first time in 12 seasons.
The first career postseason home run for the 26-year-old utilityman came after a 10-pitch at-bat against the Yankees' vaunted, hard-throwing closer, who entered the game in the seventh inning. Brosseau drove a 100-mph fastball into the left-field seats at Petco Park for just the third hit for the Rays.
The Rays won the division series 3-2 and will stay in San Diego to face the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series starting Sunday night.