Entering the eighth inning down by a run, the Tampa Bay Rays did what they have done all year. They found a way. This time, they turned a one run deficit into a three-run lead in a matter of six batters and flipped the script in the Bronx. Facing reliever Tim Hill, Simpson reached on an error by Jose Caballero to start the inning. Caminero singled up the middle and Simpson took the extra bag advancing to third. With runners on the corners, Aranda doubled to tie the game at 1-1. The Yankees then intentionally walked Diaz to load the bases with nobody out. Palacios promptly delivered with a ground ball single that deflected off of Hill’s glove and over a leaping Caballero. Two runs scored and the Rays took a 3-1 lead. Vilade then drove home a pinch running Willaims to extend the lead to 4-1.
Prior to the eventful top of the eighth, this game was basically all Yankees, despite the slim one run margin. Gerrit Cole, making his first start since the 2024 World Series, was dominant. Had he not been making what was essentially another rehab start at the major league level, he may have gone the distance tonight.
Opposite Cole was Nick Martinex who has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. he too was great, but made one mistake more than Cole and left after six trailing. Nonetheless, he did his job and kept it close.
This game felt like it could get away from the Rays at any moment. The Yankees had traffic on the bases in each of the six innings Martinez worked. In the first, he worked around a leadoff double. In the second, he worked around a leadoff single. In the third, another leadoff double. In the fourth, a two out single.
In the fifth, Wells finally tagged Martinez and sent a solo blast over the wall in right-center to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. It was Well’s fourth homer of the year, and second off Martinez. Grisham then singled, and again Martinex worked around it.
In the third, the Yankees almost broke through, but Johnny DeLuca had other plans as he gunned down Grisham at the plate on what would have been a RBI-single by Ben Rice.
Martinez tossed six innings of one run baseball, allowing nine hits while striking out and walking one.
Cole settled in nicely after working around a first inning a pair of baserunners in the first. He retired ten in a row and didn’t allow the Rays their second hit of the game until the fifth inning. He finished with six shutout innings allowing just two hits, three walks. He punched out a pair.
Baker came on in the ninth to close the door with the Rays up 4-2 and did just that despite allowing a one out walk to Austin Wells, which allowed Judge a chance to tie it with one swing of the bat. Judge came close but remained mired in his slump, ending the game on a flyball to left center.
With the win the Rays moved to a MLB-best 34-15 and 5.5 games up on the Yankees (up 7 games in the loss column). Over their last 26 games, they are now 22-4.
