After the Rays dominated in Game 3 of the ALDS in the first playoff game at Tropicana Field in six years, the narrative was clear: holy hell, a full Tropicana Field is LOUD!
Let’s be honest: It’s easy to forget what this level of attendance feels like. There hadn’t been this many people in the Trop since 2016, and the fans put the team on their back.
Rays manager Kevin Cash was asked after the game what impact Kevin Kiermaier’s home run had on the dugout and the team psyche. If you expected another answer about the team’s momentum, though, you may be pleasantly surprised to know Cash went straight to the impact that home run had on the fans, and just how much they meant to the team:
It was big.