MINNEAPOLIS — There have been many times on their long three-city, cross-country-and-back road trip that the Rays seemed close to breaking through, just to watch their momentum vanish with one unfortunate turn of events.
On Wednesday, they took a one-run lead into the bottom of the seventh. Surging shortstop Willy Adames had snapped a 3-3 game in the top half of the inning, sending a pitch over the centerfield fence for his third homer in five games.
The Rays had their most trustworthy reliever, right-hander Emilio Pagan, on the mound, asking him to get out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam.