New York Yankees pitch held the Tampa Bay Rays to just three hits, and none after the fourth inning, while New York used a tenth inning rally to break a 1-1 tie and go on to a 3-1 win Wednesday evening at Tropicana Field.
Both Rays starter Michael Wacha and Yankees starter Nestor Cortes Jr. kept the opposing bats silent through the first few frames. Neither side would have a hit until LeMahieu’s two-out single in the third, and Francisco Mejia would get Tampa Bay its first hit in the bottom of the same inning.
Tampa Bay took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, when Wander Franco led off the inning with an infield hit, and after Austin meadows popped out and Yandy Diaz struck out, Brandon Lowe doubled into the right-field corner to score the 20-year-old shortstop from first base.
The Yankees would get the run right back against Wacha, as Gio Urshela reached on a throwing error by Joey Wendle, move to third on a double by Greg Allen, and after Aaron Judge, who was scratched to start the contest, struck out pinch-hitting for Estevan Florial, DJ LeMahieu‘s sacrifice fly brought in Urshela with an unearned run.
Both Tampa Bay and New York’s bullpens were strong in keeping the game at 1-1. Left-hander Lucas Luetge worked two perfect innings for the Yankees, followed by a scoreless eighth from Zack Britton and a perfect ninth by Chad Green, while Drew Rasmussen allowed two hits in getting seven outs, and Matt Wisler game up a hit in 1 2/3 innings to force extra innings.
But the Yankees would get to Pete Fairbanks in the top of the tenth, as he hit Allen with one away in the inning and Urshela still at second base where he started the inning. Judge then singled off Franco’s glove and into center to plate Urshela with the eventual winning run. Fairbanks would leave due to a shoulder injury, and Andrew Kittredge‘s wild pitch brought in Allen to make it 3-1.
Tampa Bay would get the tying runs into scoring position with one out as Arozarena drew a walk off Aroldis Chapman, and both he and Diaz moved up a base on a wild pitch. But pinch-hitter Nelson Cruz struck out, and Mejia popped the first pitch up, which LeMahieu had to make a diving catch on to end the game.
Tampa Bay will now have to salvage the finale of the series to avoid being swept. Luis Patino (1-2, 5.26 ERA) will get the start against Gerrit Cole (10-5, 2.74 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
