Just... ouch.
Welcome back to the first full week of the second half, during which the Rays are somehow STILL playing the Yankees. Today’s matchup was Zack Littell against Carlos Rodon, so let’s see how the afternoon series matchup in the Bronx went.
Rays went 1-2-3 to start the first, and the Yankees did the same in the home half.
The Rays’s only baserunner in the second was a Brandon Lowe walk. Unfortunately, the Yankees really got themselves going in the bottom of the second. Austin Wells homered, then Anthony Volpe homered right after him. Alex Verdugo walked, but only the two solo shots scored.
The third was another 1-2-3 for both sides.
The Rays once again went down in order in the fourth. In the home half Aaron Judge singled, then Austin Wells singled. With two outs, an Oswaldo Cabrera single scored both baserunners, putting the Yankees up 4-0.
In the fifth the Rays finally got a run on the board with a one-out homer from Jose Siri.
Jose Siri with an opposite field shot to get the Rays on the board this afternoon!
— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) July 22, 2024
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Too bad the Yankees got one right back in the bottom half with a leadoff homer from DJ LeMahieu. Juan Soto doubled, but no additional runs scored.
In the sixth Amed Rosario singled, but was left stranded. In the home half Anthony Volpe and Alex Verdugo got back-to-back singles, but Volpe was caught stealing. Trent Grisham walked, and that was the end of the day for Littell as Tyler Zuber came in. LeMahieu walked, but Zuber ended the inning with no runs scored.
A Jose Siri walk was the only baserunner of the seventh for the Rays. The Yankess, meanwhile, continued to rack up runs with a Juan Soto solo home run. Austin Wells stayed pesty with a single, but did not score.
Rodon was done in the eighth making way for Tommy Kahnle. Amed Rosario was once again the only man to get on base with a two-out single, and once again was left stranded. Kevin Kelly came out of the pen for the Rays, and gave up back-to-back singles to Cabrera and Trent Grisham. Juan Soto then hit a three-run bomb to put the Yankees up 9-1. Aaron Judge followed that with a single, but thankfully did not score.
Jake Cousins came in to finish things off for the Yankees, and while Randy Arozarena did get onboard by getting hit by a pitch, a double play ended the game.
Final: Yankees 9, Rays 1
