ST. PETERSBURG -- Alex Colome stood perched atop the mound. His foot wasn't on the rubber, and he wasn't quite ready to make the biggest pitch of the ballgame. The big right-handed closer took a deep breath, as he was potentially a pitch from ending the game -- and potentially a pitch from giving up the lead.
At that moment, he'd followed through on each of his 17 save opportunities, every one Tampa Bay's had all season. But the bases were loaded, there was one out and an 0-2 count on Colby Rasmus trying to erase the Astros' one-run deficit.