Thursday, 5 October 2023:

Australian baseball young gun Curtis Mead has driven in Tampa Bay's only run as their season ended with a wildcard series sweep against Texas.

After beating the Rays 4-0 in game one, the Rangers wrapped up the best-of-three series with a 7-1 win on Thursday (AEDT).

Mead's runs batted in (RBI) single in the seventh inning meant they narrowly avoided an unwanted Major League Baseball record.

The Rays had gone 33 innings without scoring in the post-season, one short of the record held by the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1966-74.

This was, though, the Rays' seventh successive loss in the playoffs, after they made a blistering start to the season with 13 straight wins.

Mead reached base twice in game two, with his hit and on catcher's interference, following his hit in game one.

The infielder is the first Australian to get a safe hit in the MLB post-season and the run scored on Thursday also gives him an RBI.

Mead will remain in the United States until mid-November before returning to his home town of Adelaide.

The Adelaide Giants infielder is one of 10 players with Australian Baseball League experience in the MLB post-season.

Mead has enjoyed a stunning turnaround this season, which started with him nursing a significant wrist injury.

He returned in June and showed hot form with the bat, earning his Major League debut.

Two months ago, the 22-year-old became the 37th Australian to play in the majors, recording a hit with his first at-bat.

In September he became the first Australian in 12 years to hit a MLB home run.

Adolis Garcia and Evan Carter also homered on Thursday at the Rays' Tropicana Field, powering the Rangers to their series-clinching win.

Nathan Eovaldi pitched 6.2 innings for the win, scattering six hits and striking out eight, with no walks.

All four wildcard series ended in 2-0 sweeps - the Arizona Diamondbacks knocked out the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 and the Minnesota Twins progressed at the Toronto Blue Jays' expense with a 2-0 win in their game two.

The Philadelphia Phillies were too strong for the Miami Marlins, closing out their series with a 7-1 victory.

AAP