NEW YORK — Two more.
That was the reaction from Rays principal owner Patrick Zalupski as he stood inside a raucous visitors clubhouse at Yankee Stadium.
Champagne was flowing. Techno music was blaring. Troptober Continues.
Exactly a year after they sat down for their opening press conference at Steinbrenner Field following their $1.7B team acquisition, Zalupski, CEO Ken Babby and co-chair Bill Cosgrove were all enjoying the celebration following a three-game sweep of the Yankees in the AL Division Series.
“We’ve got a long way to go. And I have a feeling this team’s not done,” said Zalupski, who was sporting goggles and holding a bottle of champagne following the Rays’ 4-3 victory on Wednesday.
The Rays came into the season as a 25-1 shot to win the AL East. They will enter the ALCS, against either Cleveland or Chicago, as the favorites to capture the pennant.
“It’s incredible. It’s surreal,” Zalupski said. “I don’t have a whole lot to reference in my short tenure, but I imagine this is about as special as it gets.”
Tampa’s payroll was $114M compared to N.Y.’s $308M. It didn’t matter. Only the Dodgers and Yankees have more wins than the Rays since 2008.
“These guys play for each other, they execute, and we’ve got an incredible group, an incredible organization,” Zalupski said.
The difference Wednesday was a fan interference call in the sixth inning, upon replay review, that wiped out what was originally ruled a game-tying, two-run homer.
“The Yankees have been an incredible organization to us, one of the first to support us on our new ballpark,” Babby said. “We’re truly like brethren off the field and incredibly formidable competitors on the field.”
For the Yankees, it marks the second consecutive season an unexpected AL East powerhouse eliminated them at home and celebrated on their home field. Outside the visitors dugout, Babby waved to a small crowd of Rays fans cheering from the stands.
“When I think back on all this organization and community is accomplishing, and will continue to accomplish, I’m in awe of the people that come to work everyday, take the field everyday and build this on behalf of our fans,” Babby said.
It took Tampa’s new ownership group 11 months to secure their forever home, a $2.36B ballpark on the site of Hillsborough College. They’ve also secured a spot in MLB’s Final Four.
“It’s the quality, it’s the character, it’s the leadership from Erik (Neander) and Kevin (Cash),” Babby said. “This is a really special group, and, first and foremost, we’re fans too, and we’re enjoying this success.”
Zalupski, Babby, Cosgrove and partner Will Weatherford took in batting practice on the field before watching the game from a suite. On Monday, they will reconvene at Tropicana Field — which featured back-to-back crowds of over 40,000 in the ALDS — in front of a Game 1 crowd that should be rocking.