It was a wild weekend in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays, as all three games were back and forth, as the two teams battled for AL East supremacy heading into the week. But in the end, it was the Yankees who took their spot atop division with an epic 2 games to 1 victory ( 4-3,1-2 (11) 13-5) over the Rays this weekend in the Bronx, NY. Like mentioned earlier, each game had it's moments, so with that let's get into the games.
GAME 1: RAYS 3 YANKEES 4
This was the best victory of the Yankees season to date.
It started with Kendrys Morales going deep off Rays "opener" Ryan Stanek in the second, hitting a 463FT bomb to right in the second, to give the Yankees an early 1-0 lead.
As for the Yankees pitching, CC Sabathia was brilliant, as he went 6 innings of 1 run ball, while striking out 4, which was his longest start of the season. Sabthaia's only blemish was a big one though, as he gave up a game-tying HR to Willy Adames in the 4th to tie the game at 1.
With CC gone, the game turned into a battle of the bullpens, as Tommy Kahlne came in for the Yankees in the 7th, and with two men on, and 2 outs, was able to strike out Avisal Garcia to end the threat and keep the game tied.
In the 8th, Chad Green's struggles continued for the Yankees, as he came in, and allowed a go ahead double to Brandon Lowe, that gave the Rays the lead, before a Gleyber Torres throwing error brought home another run to give the Rays a 3-1 lead, before the rain came bringing the game to a screeching halt, as we headed to the bottom of the 8th.
Luckily for the Rays, the short rain delay didn't seem to reenergize the Yankees, as Diego Castilio retired the Yankees in order in the 8th to send the game into the 9th inning with the Rays leading 3-1.
In the bottom of the 9th, the virtually untouchable Jose Alvarado came in to close the game out for the Rays, as his team hd a 3-1 lead, and were three outs away from extending their lead to 1.5 games over the Yankees in the AL East.
But the Yankees had other plans, as Luke Voit led off with a HR, before Gary Sanchez singled, and was lifted for Their Estrada who was the pinch runner.
After Alvavrado struck out Morales, Gleyber Torres came up, and made Jose work, as he threw 9 pitches to Torres, before Gleyber ripped a double to left field, that set the yankees up with runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, and only down a run at 3-2.
An intention walk to Frazier loaded the bases, and after Camron Maybin grounded out to third ( But not before. a wild pitch tied the game )Gio Urshela stepped up with a chance to be the hero for the Yankees once again. with a 2-0 count, Alvardo went to his cure ball, which Gio whacked into right center field scoring Torres, and for one night, lifting the Yankees into first place with a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
MVP: GIO URSHELA
LEFTOVERS:
Jonathan Holder got the win, after pitching a scoreless top of the 9th.
GAME 2: RAYS 2 YANKEES 1 (11)
This was supposed to be a pitchers duel between Blake Snell and Masahiro Tanaka, and it was, as both pitchers went toe-to- toe, before handing it over to their respective bullpens, as the Rays ousted the Yankees 2-1 in extras.
The Yankees drew first blood in this one as a wild pitch by Snell allowed Brett Gardner to score in the 3rd to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. But after that, Snell was magnificent, as he went 6 innings of one run ball with 9 strikeouts, keeping his team in the game. As for Tanaka, he was brilliant, as he once again torched the Rays by going 6 scoreless innings while striking out 6, handing the game over to the Yankees bullpen with a 1-0 lead.
But in the top of the 7th, Tommy Kahlne came in, and did something he rarely does, which is giving up a run, as he served up a game tying HR to Brandon Lowe to even the game at 1 run apiece.
The game would go to extra innings, as both bullpens would lock into an epic stare down, but in the 11th, the Yankees finally blinked, as Austin Meadows went deep to right off Yankees reliever Luis cease to give the Rays a 2-1 lead, before Jose Alavarado redeems himself, by notching the save, which included a Gary Sanchez game ending double play to put the Rays back into first place in the AL East with a 2-1 win.
MVP: AUSTN MEADOWS
LEFTOVERS:
Zack Britton, Aroldis Chapman, and Jonathan Holder all pitched scoreless innings for the Yankees out of relief in the loss.
GAME 3: RAYS 5 YANKEES 13
When you looked at the pitching matchup for today's game, Yankee -killer Charlie Morton, again the Yankees bullpen, which was deploying their own "opener" in Chad Green, you did't think the Yankees had a very good chance of reclaiming their spot atop the AL east. However, they did, as the Yankees offense jumped all over Morton, and the Rays bullpen, in a wild 13-5 victory over Tampa Bay, to take back the top spot in the division.
The ball was jumping early, on a gorgeous day in the Bronx, as a Kendrys Morales RBI single in the first, was quickly answered by the Rays in the second, as Kevein Keirmier and Willy Adames went deep on back to back pitches off Green that gave the Ryas a 2-1 lead in the second.
But the Yankees would come right back,as Brett Garner went deep for a 2run HR, that gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead after two innings of play. Nestor Cortez JR was the next pitcher in line out of the bullpen for the Yankees in the third, and served up a 3runHR to Brandon Lowe that gave the Rays a 5-3lead. But after that, Cortez settled down, and gave the yankees 4 innings, with hi only big blemish being the 3run HR. This was big for the Yankees offense, as it allowed them to answer the Rays HR with one of their own, as in the 4th, Aaron Hicks smashed a 2run HR to right field that tied the game at 5.
Adam Ottavino relived Cortez in the 6th, and was tested big time, as he had to face slugger Austin Meadows with the bases loaded and 2 outs. with the count full, Ottavino went to his signature pitch, the slider, as he retired Meadows who swung and missed for strike 3, to end the threat and keep the game tied at 5, heading into the bottom of the 6th.
Diego Castilio relived Morton for the Rays, and instantly fell into trouble, as Brett Gardner led off with a single, and stole second, before Coin Frazier walked, to bring up DJ Lemahieu who tried to bunt and it backfired as hit resulted in a pop up to first for the 1st out of the inning.
But that out, would be the last out made in the inning for some time, as the Yankees made Castillo work, which resulted in two straight walks, including an Rbi walk by Luke Voit to put the Yankees in front 6-5.
Ryan Stanek came in to relive Castillio, and just like his teammate, lost the strike zone, as Kendrys Morales walked to force in the Yankees second run of the inning ( Which could've happened if Clint Frazier hadn't gotten thrown out at home, on a wild pitch) to extend the Yankees lead to 7-5. After that, Gleyber Torres shows off his hustle, as he beat out a chopper to shortstop, to keep the inning alive, and extend the Yankees lead to 8-5 with an RBI infield single.
Eventually, you knew the Yankees were going to make the Rays really pay for these mistakes, and it came off the bat of Thario Estrada, who cleared the bases with a 3 run double, to break the game open and extend the Yankees lead to 11-5.
Clint Frazier capped off the Yankees big inning, by knocking in Estrada with an RBI single to put the Yankees up 12-5. when the bottom of the 6th mercifully ended, the Yankees had scored 7 runs, on 4 hits, and 5 walks in an half inning that lasted 38 minutes!
With a big lead, the Yankees looked to Chance Adams, to finish off the game, and he did by going 3 scoreless innings, while the yankees added another run in the 7th, when LeMahieu went deep for a solo HR that gave the Yankees a 13-5 lead, which would be the final score.
with the win, the Yankees took the series from the rays 2-1, and are back atop the AL east.
MVP: THAIRO ESTRADA
SERIES MVP: THAIRO ESTRADA
LEFTOVERS:
Gary Sanchez hustled for his first career triple in the 5th.
Gio Urshela fouled a ball off his private in the 4th, but is okay. He was lifted for Estrada in the 6th, as a precaution.
THOUGHTS:
First place baby! Unbelievable win Friday night, with Gio coming up clutch, and a huge win on Sunday with everyone hipping in!
Smart decision making by Yankees manager Aaron Boone throughout the series, especially on Sunday, trusting his bullpen to get the win, as James Paxton wasn't ready to come off the IL yet.
Hope the good vibes keep on rolling, Let's go yankees!!!
UP NEXT:
The Yankees (28-17) travel to Baltimore, to begin a four game series against the Baltimore Orioles(15-31) on Monday. It will be JA app for the Yankees, against Andrew Cashner of the O's.
Game time is 7:05 PM.
Comments