New York Yankees 7, Tampa Bay Rays 8
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — — Even with a six-run advantage, Gerrit Cole couldn’t hold on to a six-run lead and allowed his first two home runs of the season. Sunday’s 8-7 victory against the Yankees was aided by an RBI single from Isaac Paredes in the 10th inning.
The Yankees (18-17) had home runs from Anthony Rizzo and Harrison Bader, and they were ahead 6-0. However, the Tampa Bay team scored twice in the fifth inning and five times in the sixth inning, allowing them to take the lead 7-6.
The Rays, who have the best record in the majors at 28-7 and a home record of 19-3, got home runs from Jose Siri and Christian Bethancourt in the game. On the other hand, the last-place Yankees, with a record of 18-17, have lost 10 of their last 16 games and now trail the Rays by 10 games.
According to the Rays, there were 32,142 fans at the game, the highest since 40,135 saw them play San Francisco on June 17, 2016.
Paredes hit a single to the right side off Albert Abreu (1-1) with one out, which brought home Brandon Lowe, who was the automatic runner, and broke the 7-7 tie.
During the 10th inning, with one out, Aaron Hicks got involved in a rundown between third and home when Gleyber Torres hit a grounder to shortstop. Hicks avoided Garrett Cleavinger’s tag attempt but ultimately got thrown out at the plate. During the play, Cleavinger stumbled and pointed to a leg before leaving the game with a limp.
Cleavinger was replaced by Jalen Beeks (1-2), and on a 3-2 pitch, Beeks struck out Anthony Rizzo.
Cole’s earned run average (ERA) increased to 2.09 from 1.35, which was previously tied for the best in Major League Baseball. He initially retired 13 out of the first 17 batters he faced but then allowed seven out of his last nine to get on base.
Cole, who had given up 33 home runs last year, hadn’t allowed any in his first 51 innings this season until Siti homered in the fifth inning. Later in the inning, Yandy Díaz scored when Gleyber Torres made a tumbling catch in shallow right field on a hit by Wander Franco but then made an inaccurate throw to third base.
In the sixth inning, Paredes hit a double that drove in a run, followed by Bethancourt’s three-run homer, which tied the game at 6-6. Siri also contributed by walking, stealing second, and scoring when Cordero, the reliever, neglected to look at him after fielding Díaz’s grounder close to the first-base line and throwing to first for the out.
A run was scored in the seventh inning thanks to an RBI grounder by Jose Trevino.
Cole allowed six runs on eight hits in five-plus innings of action. It was the first time this season he allowed more than two runs, increasing his earned run average from 1.35 to 2.09 in this way.
Anthony Rizzo hit a solo home run, while Harrison Bader added a two-run homer off Josh Fleming in the third inning. Aaron Hicks got his first extra-base hit of the season with an RBI double in the two-run fourth inning, and he scored on Gleyber Torres’ two-base hit. In the fifth inning, Bader tripled and scored on Oswaldo Cabrera‘s sacrifice fly, extending the Yankees’ lead to 6-0.
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Nestor Cortes (3-2) and JP Sears (0-2) will both be making their Monday night starts as left-handed pitchers.
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