Looking to extend and add onto their ten (!) game win streak, the New York Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays for a three game set in The Bronx. For the second time this season, the top-two AL East teams collide.
Falling short three games to one in Tampa Bay, New York looks to bounce back and even the matchup with a series win. Both sides ready for action in The Bronx, there’s nothing more left to say then, play ball.
Game 1 Final: Rays 6, Yankees 3
Probables: Blake Snell (2-2, 3.28 ERA) vs Masahiro Tanaka (2-1 5.17 ERA)
Win / Loss / Save: (TB) Snell / (NYY) Tanaka / (TB) Roe (1)
In game one of a three game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, an underwhelming and disappointing performance from the team added to a pivotal loss. Snapping their ten game win streak, the Bronx Bombers fall short 6-2 in a flat, low-energy game.
Yankees’ starter Masahiro Tanaka seemed to pitch his worst in pinstripes this season. His fastball certainly had low velocity and his off-speed pitches weren’t getting the job done. A horrendous pitching like of 4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 5 ER and 2 K is how Tanaka concluded his night.
On the other side of the ball, the Yankees offense tallied five hits the entire game. The low-scoring three-run production came from a two-run home run from Luke Voit (8) and a solo home run from Gary Sanchez (5). For Voit, this was his third home run in the last two games. The newly-implemented leadoff hitter provides a solid bat at the top of the lineup in the replacement of DJ LeMahieu.
Tampa Bay’s offensive no doubt production over powered the Yankees pitching staff. A four-run third inning started off the game strong for the Rays ball club. A Michael Perez single, followed by a Brandon Lowe (8) three-run home run counted for the highly-offensive inning.
Later, scoring on a passed ball, Rays’ Kevin Kiermaier crossed home to add one more to the total. In the fifth, a solo shot from Tampa’s leadoff hitter Austin Meadows (3) was the dagger in the win.
The Yankees bullpen did a strong job of filling in Tanaka’s horrific start. Right-hander Nick Nelson tossed three innings while only allowing one hit. Luis Cessa followed and finished the game with two innings and three strikeouts to count for.
Nelson and his three almost-perfect innings is deserving of game-one’s ‘Player of the Game’ in a lackluster performance by New York.
Player of the Game: RP Nick Nelson: 3.0 IP, 2 K, H
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Game 2 Final: Rays 4, Yankees 2
Probables: Tyler Glasnow (0-1, 7.04 ERA) vs Gerrit Cole (4-0, 2.76 ERA)
Win / Loss / Save: (TB) Fairbanks / (NYY) Britton / (TB) Beeks (1)
If you love a pitchers duel – well – this was certainly the game to watch. Squaring off for the second time this season against one another, two of Major League Baseball’s top arms were on the rubber in The Bronx.
Tampa Bay’s Tyler Glasnow dazzled in his outing while going 5.2 IP, 8 K on two hits and two earned runs. Going even further into the game, New York’s Gerrit Cole impressed while going 6.2 IP, on 10 K’s, six hits and two runs. The two arms will most certainly contend for a Cy Young award this season.
As for the scoring production in the game, jumping ahead with two runs Tampa Bay was on the board first. A pair of solo home runs from Ji-Man Choi (2) and Mike Zunino (3) in the third in fourth inning catapulted the Rays into a strong start.
Right behind, New York followed with a pair of their own runs. The scorching hot bat of Luke Voit (9) took Glasnow deep to score the team’s first runs of the game. Later, scoring one on a sacrifice fly, the bat of Gio Urshela allowed Aaron Hicks to cross home.
A back-and-forth low-scoring game featured a plethora of strong arms. The very consistent and leader in saves, Zack Britton appeared in the eighth in lieu of a two-inning save. The league-leader in saves was unable to feature his top-notch repertoire in the game, as he was wild with his pitches and allowed two runs. An error, a wild pitch and an RBI single led Britton to his first rocky outing of his 2020 campaign.
Singling to center and capturing the lead late, Mike Brosseau allowed Brandon Lowe to score. Shortly after, Willy Adames knocked in Jose Martinez from another RBI Single in the inning.
Although having runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth, New York was unable to comeback. Your final in game-two: Rays, 4, Yankees, 2.
Player of the Game: SP Gerrit Cole: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 10 K
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Game 3 Final: Rays 10, Yankees 5
Probables: John Curtiss (0.0, 3.57 ERA) vs James Paxton (1-1 7.04 ERA)
Win / Loss / Save: (TB) Castillo / (NYY) Ottavino
In the rubber match of a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees put up a lackluster effort and fell short . In a disappointing loss to end the series, there weren’t many bright spots for the Bronx Bombers.
Luke Voit (10) continued his hot streak and crushed a 437 foot home run into Monument Park. The right-handed hitter is on a tear with five home runs in four games. With this, the first baseman is tied for first with Mike Trout in the American League home run race, with 10 a piece.
Besides Voit, who had two RBI’s, another lone bright spot in the game came from Gio Urshela (5) who brought in two on a home run. Although Gleyber Torres scored one, he did leave today’s game with a “tight hamstring”, per Bryan Hoch. Fingers crossed for Torres as we hope it isn’t anything serious.
On the other side, the Tampa Bay Rays defense continued their domination against the New York Yankees. A total of 10 runs on eight hits is how the Rays concluded their series.
Home runs from Yandy Díaz (1) and Mike Zunino (3) accounted for five runs of the offensive downpour. Adding on, RBI Singles from Joey Wendle and Manuel Margot added a pair to the score. Two more runs on the Tampa Bay production came via sacrifice fly and a two-run double.
Although Yankees starter James Paxton did perform very well with four no-hit innings, he fell flat footed in the fifth inning. Allowing three runs in his final inning of work is how he walked off the mound. Though, in the end, it was the bullpen who allowed water to pour into the gates. Adam Ottavino was tallied with three earned runs, Luis Avilan and Luis Cessa were charged with two a piece.
A very disappointing game summarizes this three game series in The Bronx for the Yankees. New York falls short 10-5 and drops three straight to the Tampa Bay Rays. The team looks to bounce back against the New York Mets for a Subway Series matchup in Queens.
Player of the Game: 1B Luke Voit: 3-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
Player of the Series: 1B Luke Voit: 5-9, 3 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, 3 BB
Upcoming Series: August 21 – 23 vs New York Mets
Photo: Brad Penner / USA TODAY Sports
