Top 10 Rays wins

Relive the most magical moments of the Rays' 2008 regular season as Times beat writer Marc Topkin counts down the top 10 wins in a photo gallery.

Which games do you remember the most fondly? Leave us a response in the 'Comments' area below.

(Pictured: Scott Kazmir, Carl Crawford and Eric Hinske celebrate the playoff-clinching victory over the Twins on Saturday. Times photo -- James Borchuck. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Steve]

The Rays 7-6 win over Boston on July 2nd was one of the best this year!

It was another dismal performance by Kazmir. The Rays were down 4-1 in the seventh. Suddenly the Rays put together a 6 run inning to beat the Sox. It was capped off by Longoria's bases-loaded double. I've never heard the Trop rock so loud. The fans were deflated most of the game as the Rays didn't show much offense but once they got going in the 7th the atmosphere was electric. My favorite game of the year.

[Chris]

1. Johnson HR and Perez/Navarro 2Bs to beat Boston.
2. Longoria's GW HR to cap Shields' one-hitter back on that Friday night in May against the Angels. That was the game where it truly felt like they were going to be a contender all season thanks to the combo of great starting pitching and "clutch" hitting (as cliche as that term is).
3. Navarro's extra-inning slam in Toronto.
4. Tuesday night's comeback over the Orioles in the second game.
5. The Cubs sweep game with CC's slam off Marmol.
6. Gabe Gross' walk-off against the White Sox on June 1.
7. The 2-1 comeback over Toronto after the All-Star Break ended. I think people forget how bad the Rays looked for the first six innings of that game, and Zobrist saved them with that HR off Halladay in the 7th. If they lose this game, that losing streak turns to 8 and has that carry over effect. It was also another brilliant performance from Shields at the Trop.
8. Nathan Haynes walk-off against the Red Sox in late April; another one of those "Wow, is this team for real?" moments.
9. The playoff clincher.
10. Floyd's walk-off against the Sox on May 30.

[Helene]

What I consider the Rays' two most important wins were noted in the slide show, both of which made me realize what a complete nerd I am about baseball. (Long, Probably Uninteresting Comment Alert)

July 18th: I had pool league that night so I was at some dive bar in North Tampa. I look up after I play my matches and I see that the game is on their TV, and it's 1-0 Blue Jays in the sixth (?) innning or thereabouts. I'm moping and brooding that the Rays may not make the postseason this year after all, because they've looked so hapless during their 7 game skid and here they are again not scoring any freaking runs. Then....Zobrist hits his homer in the 7th. I go nuts, alarming my pool team and justifiably earning a glare from the guy up shooting. For the next two innings, I'm at the edge of my barstool looking and feeling like I'm going to have a heart attack as the Rays try to close it out. And of course, they do!

September 9th: I'm watching this one at home, more or less alone. My husband is in our computer room trying to do schoolwork, and he eventually has to tell me politely that I'm distracting him with my yelling at the TV. I apologize and promise to tone it down. Rays blow the lead in the 8th, and again I'm moping and brooding and losing some faith. Then..."Dan Johnson? Who the heck is this?? What is Maddon doing????" Of course, we all know what happens next. His HR goes into the stands, and I let out this loud, unholy SHRIEK of amazement and joy...which scares the ever loving crap out of my still-engrossed-in-coursework husband. Heh.

Here's to more memories to come!

[Dave]

Has to be Wheeler pitching out of a bases loaded situation in extra innigs followed by Navi's slam in Toronto.

The team really came together after this game and I think the offense realized we have a pitching staff.

[Jules]

Dan Johnson's game tying homer off Paps.