ALCS collapse averted, Rays prep for Dodgers in World Series

A Game 7 loss in AL Championship Series wouldn't have changed how Tampa Bay general manr Erik Neander feels about Rays.

ir 4-2 win over Houston on Saturday night sure changed how Neander felt waking up Sunday, though.

“I rolled over about 6:15 this morning and couldn’t go back to sleep,” Neander said Sunday night. “It was a special night. Pretty excited. We all are.”

Rays narrowly held off Astros after building — and blowing — a 3-0 series lead to earn its second AL pennant. Houston was trying to match 2004 Boston Red Sox as only major league team to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a seven-game series.

Next up for low-payroll Rays: a neutral-site World Series in Arlington, Texas, beginning Tuesday night against Los Angeles Dodgers.

LA beat Atlanta 4-3 in Game 7 of NL Championship Series on Sunday night.

“This is as good a group of people as you’re going to find,” Neander said of his Rays. “As ego-free as you’ll see. To prevail way y did, I kw we wouldn’t have thought any differently of m if Game 7 last night didn’t go our way. I kw we would have thought same of this player group and how special y are.

“w y get to show off ir true qualities and attributes a little longer on a a bigger st,” Neander added. “I hope were t too much of a surprise. We’ve had some success here. I feel like we’re where we should be.”

Tampa Bay lost its only or World Series appearance in 2008 in five-games to Philadelphia Phillies.

Rays, who led AL with a 40-20 record in pandemic-shortened season, have a series of meetings Monday to set rotation and roster after taking Sunday to rest up after playing ALDS and ALCS with only one day off in between.

“Today, really, to this point has been really a recovery day,” Neander said. “t because of celebration last night, probably it’s a little bit of it, but 12 games in 13 days has been a bit of a grind here.”