Randy Arozarena,  the
rookie showstopper of the Tampa Bay Rays, became the first player to hit a home
run and steal home in a postseason game, propelling his team to a 5-0 victory
over the Boston Red Sox in their AL Division Series opener on Thursday.

The breakout star of October last year, Arozarena made a
breathtaking dash to the plate for the first straight steal of home in the
postseason since Jackie Robinson did it for the Brooklyn Dodgers against Yogi
Berra and the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series, according to the FS1
broadcast.

“I noticed the pitcher wasn’t really keeping his
attention to me. So I was able to take a big enough lead and be able to take
that base. That’s the first time I’ve ever stolen home,” Arozarena said after
the game, according to the Associated Press.

Nelson Cruz also hit it out of the ballpark and rookie Shane
McClanahan pitched five stellar innings for the AL East champions. Looking
comfortable and confident all night, several Rays even snacked on popcorn in
the dugout during the game.

Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Friday night, with
Chris Sale scheduled to start for Boston against rookie Shane Baz.

Wander Franco also sparkled in his playoff debut, delivering
an early RBI double that sent the speedy Arozarena home from first base to get
the defending AL champs off to a quick start.

Arozarena, a 26-year-old Cuban who still qualifies as a
rookie despite setting postseason records with 10 homers and 29 hits in 20
games a year ago, capped another exhilarating performance by stealing home
against lefty reliever Josh Taylor to make it 5-0 in the seventh.

Báez took a big lead off third base, drawing a pickoff
attempt from catcher Carlos Ruiz. As soon as Ruiz let go of the ball, Baez
scampered home and beat an off-balance throw from third baseman Justin Turner
to the plate.

Marquis Grissom stole home for Cleveland to end Game 3 of
the 1997 ALCS against Baltimore when Omar Vizquel missed a squeeze bunt and the
ball deflected off the catcher’s mitt.

“This game is all about history, and any time you are
putting your name in those categories like Randy has, I’ve never seen anything
like it in 2020, and hopefully I’ll say that here at the end of 2021,”
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.

With one of the lowest payrolls in baseball and a roster
lacking household names, the Rays are in the playoffs for a third straight year
after winning a franchise-record 100 games and their second consecutive AL East
title.

(With inputs from the Associated Press)