While he gave up a crucial home run, things ultimately ended up OK for Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks in Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Twins. That was reflected in a perfect postgame interview.
Fairbanks entered the ninth inning in a jam. When he came into the game, the Rays were leading 6-3 but the tying run was already at the plate. He largely stabilized things for Tampa by retiring the first two hitters he faced. But after jumping ahead 0-2 on José Miranda, Fairbanks served up a game-tying three-run home run.
After Fairbanks retired Royce Lewis to send the game into extra innings, Tampa regained the lead in the top of the 10th inning. Fairbanks then pitched a scoreless bottom half of the inning, bringing the game to an end.
And what did Fairbanks do between innings? He shared some of the details in a postgame interview.
“I absolutely destroyed a few things in the cage, then regrouped, and we got it done. So, I’ll take a win,” Fairbanks said.
Interviewer Tricia Whitaker then followed up, asking what Fairbanks destroyed.
“I absolutely destroyed a few things in the cage, then regrouped, and we got it done… Look, let’s just say that I owe the Minnesota Twins’ visiting cage a new IKEA stool.” – Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks⚾️🎙️😂
(via @ECloskyWTSP) pic.twitter.com/4if9aXWsHp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 21, 2024
“Elvis is shaking his head, it’s nothing bad Elvis,” Fairbanks said, referring to Elvis Martinez Guerrero, Tampa’s Director of Communications and Player Relations. “Look, let’s just say that I owe the Minnesota Twins’ visiting cage a new IKEA stool. Not barstool height. Like one of the mini ones that kids use. Yeah, it’s not existent anymore. But sometimes you gotta get it all out to go out there and put up another zero.”
Indeed, a short memory is a necessity for a relief pitcher. If having that short memory comes means having to pay for an occasional IKEA stool, most relievers would gladly make that trade.
[Photo/Video Credit: Bally Sports Sun and Tricia Whitaker]
