Meatloaf at Kauffman Stadium, for the Rays’ first series win in Kansas City since July 2009. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays took two multi-run leads in Kansas City on Wednesday, then held on to beat the Royals, 5-3, for their first series win at Kauffman Stadium since 2009. The Rays ended the night one game under .500 (67-68) and having won both series on their current road trip, thus remaining relevant in the Wildcard chase with 27 left to play. They now are 15-3 in series wins when they’ve won the first game of a series (83.3% winning percentage).

Tampa Bay took a 3-0 lead in the third against Jason Vargas, a pitcher that’s had his way with the Rays in recent years. Adeiny Hechavarria got the rally started with a solo-homer to left-center field with one out.

It was Hechavarria’s fourth homer with the Rays and fifth overall.

Peter Bourjos followed by working a free pass, then went to third on Kevin Kiermaier’s single to center. Following suit, Steven Souza Jr. also singled up the middle — making it a two-run game — with the Outlaw moving up to third. Evan Longoria capped the scoring with his MLB leading 11th sacrifice fly.

Yet Kansas City immediately answered against Jake Odorizzi, who had been spotty all night. Odorizzi started the inning with a walk to the number eight hitter, Cheslor Cuthbert, before Alcides Escobar reached on a beautifully placed bunt single on the left side of the infield. Two pitches later, Odorizzi did what he has done all season — give up a home run, this time to Whit Merrifield, tying the game.

Although he would ultimately leave the game early, Odorizzi tightened up and retired six of the next seven batters.

Tampa Bay moved back in front in the fifth inning on homers by Souza (No. 29) and Logan Morrison (No. 33), putting the Rays ahead 5-3.

Morrison now has four homers in as many games.

Odorizzi was relieved of his start in the sixth inning after he allowed a leadoff single to Melky Cabrera — the absolute right call by Kevin Cash, who managed the game as though it was critical to the Rays short-term future … which it was. Odo was credited with the win, his first since July, after he allowed four hits and three walks over five plus innings. The right-hander fanned three.

From there the A bullpen took control.

Steve Cishek entered the game and retired the next three batters, two by strikeout, to end the frame. Cishek took the mound the following inning and pitched a perfect seventh. The right-hander now has a sub 1.15 ERA since May, a sub 2.00 ERA overall, and hasn’t allowed an earned run since the late July acquisition which sent Erasmo Ramirez to Seattle.

Cishek said the secret to his success is keeping it simple:

Tommy Hunter took over in the eighth and notched a perfect eight pitch frame, all on three ground outs.

Finally, Alex Colome worked around a one-out single in the ninth inning and fanned the side for his 40th save. El Caballo became the sixth player in franchise history to reach that milestone in a single season.

After an off-day Thursday, the Rays will head to the south side of Chicago for a three-game series against the basement dwelling White Sox. The ball club maintains they are just a hot streak away from taking over the reins in the Wildcard race … and in an ideal world, the previous series win against the Royals should be a springboard for that. However, the question begs: Do the Rays become ‘sellers’ at the waiver wire deadline at midnight Thursday?

Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) wrote about that very subject on the Heater blog, saying:

Meanwhile, Rays officials may not wait, deciding — and, crazy as it sounds, maybe even factoring in Wednesday’s result as a tipping point — whether to sell off any of the pending free agents who were either claimed on waivers this week or, less likely, cleared waivers, in advance of tonight’s midnight deadline for postseason eligibility.

… Cobb is in his own category, given his importance to the team, and any deal would not only be accompanied by a white flag of surrender but also prompt a major mutiny in the clubhouse.

Beyond Cobb, first baseman/DH Lucas Duda and reliever Steve Cishek would present the two most interesting decisions for the Rays from a group that also includes relievers Tommy Hunter and Sergio Romo, first baseman Logan Morrison and outfielder Peter Bourjos.

With all this in mind, we could see a team depleted of talent when it starts the series Friday in the Windy City, or one with a bolstered roster because of September call-ups and/or waiver wire acquisitions.

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