Ben Zobrist is fast becoming the pinch-hitter's pinch hitter.
The 27-year-old came off the bench and tied the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, before Carl Crawford won it for the Rays with an RBI single for a 6-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.
"He's turning into a cult figure," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Zobrist, who is 4 of 12 with three homers and nine RBIs as a pinch hitter this season.
"For me sometimes, it's freeing to know that you've got one shot and might as well take your hacks," Zobrist said. "It's pretty easy not to get a hit in the situation. It's a tough situation. I kind of tell myself I've got nothing to lose. Go up there and look for something hard to hit, and if it's in the zone just try to put a good swing on it."
After Dioner Navarro doubled and B.J. Upton walked against Brad Ziegler (0-1), Crawford lined the game-winning single to center.
Tampa's Matt Garza allowed two runs and seven hits in six 2-3 innings, while Oakland left-hander Dallas Braden gave up three runs and six hits over seven innings.
Just for the record, the AL best for pinch-hit homers in a season is five, set by Boston's Joe Cronin in 1943. Who would bet against Zobrist going some better?
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