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10/08 19:03 CDT Singing `New York, New York,' Rays revel in recognition as they head to AL Championship Series Singing `New York, New York,' Rays revel in recognition as they head to AL Championship Series By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) --- Belting out "Theme from New York, New York" as they locked arms in the visitors' clubhouse at Yankee Stadium, the Tampa Bay Rays reveled with satisfaction after sweeping baseball's most storied team. "The best team in the world right here," Tampa Bay star Junior Caminero said Wednesday night after the Rays earned a matchup with the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in their first American League Championship Series since 2020. Fresh off a three-game sweep of the Yankees in their Division Series, the Rays on Monday will host an ALCS game at Tropicana Field for the first time since 2008 --- their 2020 seven-game win over Houston was played at San Diego's Petco Park because of the coronavirus pandemic. "I love popping bottles," said Ryan Vilade, a 27-year-old journeyman who played his first game since Sept. 27 in the Game 3 clincher against New York. "I love drinking beer and I love popping bottles." Vilade and Victor Mesa Jr. homered in Tampa Bay's 4-3 victory Wednesday night. During the celebration, Caminero mimicked late Yankees broadcaster John Sterling, yelling: "Theeee Yankees lose!" "We got two more bites --- two more bites on the bone!" manager Kevin Cash screamed. "Nobody sleeps!" Tampa Bay finished an AL-best 98-64 in the regular season, then dominated the Yankees to reach its third ALCS and remain on track for a possible first World Series title. "We'll enjoy it and we'll have a little time here to organize ourselves," president of baseball operations Erik Neander said. "When you've got five starters throwing the way these do, it makes it a little easier not to overthink it too much." Tampa Bay was just behind Milwaukee for the top regular-season team batting average, .2585 to .2581, and led the AL in on-base percentage. The Rays were second in the AL with a .296 batting average on balls in play. "The identity of our team, that's kind of the versatility that we have," outfielder Jonny DeLuca said. "A lot of our guys are quick and fast in putting the ball in play, and I think in playoffs it makes a huge difference, whether it's getting down the line, baserunning, defense, whatever it is. I think the speed is a huge aspect to our game, and, yeah, it's helped us a lot." Cash, who led his team to the postseason for the sixth time in eight years, arrived in the interview room Wednesday night relatively dry. "This is my second shirt, second hat. I've changed it twice," he said. "Cami just sprayed something on me and so did Victor. Both of them did. I said, `This is a dry shirt.' If they want to play the next game, they'll stop."

Big crowds at the Trop After a 2025 season spent playing across the bay in Tampa, Florida, at the Yankees' spring training home, Steinbrenner Field, while Tropicana Field was repaired following damage caused by Hurricane Milton, the Rays returned this year to the Trop in St. Petersburg and drew 1.4 million fans. After drawing a regular season-high crowd of 28,055, Tampa Bay removed tarps covering upper-deck seats and saw 40,452 fill the ballpark for Game 1 against the Yankees, their largest home crowd since Game 5 of the 2010 AL Division Series. "Even from the intros, before the game, you could tell the turnout for the Rays fans was there, and we could feel that the whole day," said closer Bryan Baker, who saved all three ALDS games. Tampa Bay drew 40,226 for Game 2 and expects a similar atmosphere for the ALCS.

Looking ahead Tampa Bay was 4-2 this year against the White Sox and 5-1 vs. Cleveland. Going into the ALCS, the Rays will have played just three games in two weeks. Cash, however, didn't fear rust caused by earning the top AL seed and a first-round bye. "The alternative is playing three must-win games or two out of three," he said in late September. "I'll take where we're at." ___ See AP's full MLB coverage here

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