Richie Palacios, a native of Brooklyn who grew up a Yankees fan, helped the Tampa Bay Rays take a commanding 2‑0 lead in the best‑of‑five American League Division Series. On Monday night, Palacios laced a two‑run single in the fifth inning, extending the Rays’ advantage to 5‑2.

Key moments

With two outs, runners on second and third, and his parents in the stands, Palacios faced left‑handed reliever Brent Headrick. After fouling off a 90 mph fastball and three additional pitches, he lined a base hit to center field, giving Tampa Bay a five‑run cushion.

Rays manager Kevin Cash praised the hit, calling it “probably the biggest hit in the game for us.” Palacios added that the green light on a 3‑0 count meant Cash wanted him to swing at a pitch over the plate, and he was able to stay relaxed and deliver.

Palacios’ background

The 29‑year‑old second baseman, who also doubled off Gerrit Cole in the series opener, attended The Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn and later Towson University in Maryland. Drafted by Cleveland in the third round of the 2018 amateur draft, he was later acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals for cash in June 2023 and traded to Tampa Bay for reliever Andrew Kittredge in January 2024.

Palacios finished the regular season batting .235 with 10 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .704 OPS over 124 games, while adding 17 stolen bases. In September, he hit .283 with five homers, 18 RBIs, six steals and a .981 OPS in 20 games, earning the trust of the AL East champion Rays.

Looking ahead

Game 3 is set for Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, where the Rays will aim to sweep the series. Palacios, playing in his first postseason, will look to continue his clutch performance and help Tampa Bay advance to the American League Championship Series.

Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.