It’s been a rough start of 2021 for Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo, but when they needed him to come through against one of the league’s top pitchers, he delivered.
Tsutsugo’s RBI double off Gerrit Cole in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and helped lead the Rays to a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees to complete a three-game sweep in the Bronx.
“We’re all pumped for Yoshi knowing that he’s been through a rough stretch here recently,” manager Kevin Cash said after the game. “He’s been working really hard, and any time you’re working behind the scenes and you get some rewards, it’s got to be good for your psyche.”
The 29-year old’s at bat in the seventh was his third fly ball of the afternoon after flying out to deep right in the second, and flying out to left in the fourth, with all three exit velocities being 95 MPH or higher.
“I would always wait for the fastball,” Tsutsugo said through translator Brian Tobin Sunday. “But I was able to adjust when he threw the changeup and get a hit off him.”
The double into the right-center gap off Cole (2-1) brought in Joey Wendle, who singled in front of him, and ended the right-hander’s afternoon after 109 pitches.
New York took the early lead in the bottom of the second, when Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo homer off opener Andrew Kittredge.
Tampa Bay responded with two runs in the top of the third off Cole, as Mike Zunino each singled to begin the frame, and Yandy Diaz tied the game with a single that was misplayed by center fielder Aaron Hicks, allowing Kiermaier to take an extra base. That extra base would be key as Manuel Margot lifted a sacrifice fly two batters later to bring in Kiermaier and break the tie.
Ryan Yarbrough (1-2) worked the bulk of Sunday’s game, but allowed New York to tie the game in the fifth, giving up a leadoff double to Gio Urshela, then walked Kyle Higashioka with two away in the inning, allowing DJ LeMahieu to bring in Urshela with a RBI single.
After Tsutsugo’s double broke the tie in the seventh, Tampa Bay added an insurance run in the ninth with Wendle’s third home run of the year and second in as many days, connecting off reliever Darren O’Day, who had not allowed a run all year previously.
Diego Castillo finished off the seventh for Yarbrough and worked a clean eighth, and Jeffrey Springs added a pefect ninth to earn his first major league save.
The win gets Tampa Bay back to .500 at 8-8 on the season, and 5-1 this year against New York including the two wins from the prior weekend at Tropicana Field, while the Yankees are now 5-10 on the season and own the worst record in the American League.
The Rays next head to Kansas City to start a three-game series with the Royals. Josh Fleming (0-1, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to work against Danny Duffy (2-0, 0.75 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:10.
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.
