Huge Relief as Yankees Avoid a Sweep and Further Spiral with Grand Slam in Extra Innings
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Follow UsNew York Yankees 8, Tampa Bay Rays 7
The New York Yankees, who have been struggling as of late, avoided being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 on Wednesday thanks to a walk-off grand slam by Josh Donaldson in the bottom of the 10th inning.
In the top of the tenth inning against Jalen Beeks (2-2), Gleyber Torres hit a leadoff single, Anthony Rizzo walked, and then, with one out and a 97 mph fastball from Donaldson, Gleyber scored on the short porch in right field.
Aroldis Chapman (2-3) allowed three runs to score in the top of the tenth inning for New York, which came into the game having lost its previous three games in a row and 12 of its previous 15.
On the other hand, the Yankees finally received some assistance from their offense, as they scored more than three runs in a game for the first time since August 8th. In its previous three contests, New York had scored a grand total of one run.
It took 3 hours and 48 minutes to complete this one, and that doesn’t count the extra hour and a half that was added because of a rain delay in the seventh inning. For the Yankees, the wait was well worth it.
A 9-16 record since the break hasn’t stopped the Yankees from regaining a 10-game lead in the AL East over both Tampa Bay and Toronto. For all but two days since June 13, New York has held a double-digit lead in the division.
Rizzo hit a home run off Brooks Raley to start the eighth inning, tying the game at 4-4. The game went into extra innings when Ryan Thompson got Aaron Judge out with a fly ball to the warning track. Judge had hit the most home runs in the major leagues.
Scott Effross was replaced by Chapman, and after two walks, the bases were full. With two outs, Francisco Meja hit a 0-2 fastball going 101 mph down the right field line for a double that scored all four runners.
Torres hit a two-run homer off Corey Kluber in the sixth inning, which was the start of New York’s comeback. The Yankees got within 4-3 when Judge walked with the bases full in the seventh, but Pete Fairbanks got Torres to hit into a double play to end the inning.
In six innings, Kluber gave up two runs and four hits. In 4 2/3 innings, Germán gave up three runs and five hits.
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On Thursday, RHP Frankie Montas (4-9, 3.59 ERA) will start his first game at home against RHP José Berros (8-5, 5.61) in the first of a four-game series.
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