Ryan LaMarre‘s solo homer in the top of the eighth inning provided the New York Yankees with the insurance they would need to take the opener of their three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 decision.
Rays starter Shane McClanahan worked in and around trouble early, getting Gleyber Torres to ground into a double play to get out of a bases loaded situation in the first. New York also stranded a runner at third base in the second, and two more runners in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery also escaped a number of jams early in the game with some help from his defense. Catcher Gary Sanchez caught Manuel Margot trying to steal third base in the first, stranded Randy Arozarena in scoring position in the second, got Nelson Cruz to ground into a double play in the third to strand another runner in scoring position, and struck out Mike Zunino in the fourth to strand Ji-Man Choi at third base.
New York broke the scoreless tie in the fifth, as Greg Allen led off the inning with a double off McClanahan, scoring on a base hit by DJ LeMahieu.
The Yankees added two more runs an inning later, with Gleyber Torres and Rougned Odor led off with consecutive singles. Gio Urshela followed up with a double that brought in both runners and gave New York a 3-0 lead.
Chad Green took over for Montgomery to start the sixth, walking Choi with one out on the inning, and after Arozarena struck out for the second out of the inning Lowe took a pitch off the outside corner of the plate and deposited it in the seats in left-center for his 22nd home run of the season.
LaMarre gave the Yankees another insurance run with a solo home run off reliever Jeffrey Springs to push the deficit back to 4-2, but Tampa Bay quickly got the run right back, with Yandy Diaz drawing a leadoff walk from Zack Britton, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a ground-rule double by Arozarena.
Lowe followed with a base hit to left, but Arozarena had to stop at third base, and Zunino grounded into a double play to strand the tying run 90 feet from the plate.
Tampa Bay had one final chance to try and even the game in the ninth after Wander Franco drew a two-out walk against Aroldis Chapman, but nelson Cruz struck out to end the game.
The loss drops Tampa Bay two games behind the idle Boston Red Sox for the lead in the American League East.
The two teams will clash again Wednesday, with Michael Wacha (2-2, 5,16 ERA) taking on Nestor Cortes Jr. (0-0, 1.95 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.
