The Tampa Bay Rays struggled to get the bats going against the New York Yankees, as they fell 3-1 on Tuesday night. The Rays’ pitching was phenomenal, giving up just two earned runs, but it still wasn’t enough to match the Yankees’ staff, who allowed just one.
Solid Pitching
Luis Patino got the ball for the Rays and gave a serviceable outing. Going only four innings, he allowed just one earned run, which was a home run hit by Aaron Judge in the first inning. The other run allowed was on a pass ball in the third which allowed DJ LeMahieu to score. Josh Fleming came into the game in the fifth inning but was able to give the Rays four quality innings. Through four, Josh Fleming gave up just three hits and one earned run. The singular run came from a Gary Sanchez home run in the seventh inning.
Offensive Struggles
The Rays’ offense clearly struggled in Tuesday’s matchup, amassing just three hits and one run through nine innings. Jordan Montgomery, who started for the Yankees, was virtually unhittable through six innings. He gave up just two hits and one earned run. The Rays’ lone run came in the bottom of the third inning, when Mike Zunino hit a home run to center field, his seventh of the season.
Takeaways
- 1B Yoshi Tsutsugo was DFA’d prior to Tuesday’s game.
- With the win, the Yankees moved to a season-high three-games over .500 (19-16).
- Luke Voit was back in the lineup for New York, making his 2021 debut. However, Voit went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his return to the team.
Next Matchup
The story of Tuesday’s game was the long ball. The Yankees did what they do best, which is hit homers, and the Rays simply could not keep up. The loss will drop the Rays to 19-18, which will keep them in third place among the AL East. They will face the Yankees again on Wednesday night at 7:10 PM for the second game of the three-game series. Josh Fleming will get the ball for the Rays, but he will face the challenge of going against Gerrit Cole.