Rays 4, Yankees 3
Record: 51-39
Attendance: 21,477
You might think at first the Ray's victory over the Yankees is a signal that the team has finally turned the corner, found a way to counteract the Yankee curse on them. But you'd be wrong.
Fact is, the Rays recent assault on decent baseball has been all about pitching, relief pitching in the late innings, to be exact. Somehow they have managed to turn close games into lopsided defeats because the high-leverage guys melt down and give up three-run homers. Yesterday, Aaron Hicks hit a top-of-the-ninth, two-out, two-strike pitch into the left field bleachers to tie the game at three. It was another pitching collapse--this time aided by Manager Kevin Cash, who took out smooth-sailing Oliver Drake and replaced him with Colin Poche, who promptly gave up the home run to Hicks.
It was going to take a miracle to rewrite the Yankee victory script that seemed inevitable. And lo and behold, they got one in the person of Travis d'Arnaud, who hit a two-out homer to the opposite field for a walkoff victory celebration. It was dramatic enough to turn the season around, but we shouldn't forget the late-inning pitching is just the same today as it has been for the last four games when opponents have had home run explosions. Don't get your hopes too high.
Apart from the egregious error in allowing Hicks to homer in the ninth, the Rays played a good game. D'Arnaud collected three hits and two RBIs, and newly recalled Nate Lowe, who had his first home run as a Ray the night before, hit his second, a two-run blast off C. C. Sabathia that gave the Rays a 3-2 lead in the seventh.
Blake Snell was pressed hard for five innings (93 pitches) with tough matchups and runners forcing him to make good pitches in the clutch. Which he did except for the home run he allowed to Brett Gardner in the second.
Chaz Roe pitched an inning (one walk), and then in the seventh, Cash brought in Jose Alvarado, who was as dismal as ever allowing two singles, giving up a wild pitch, and after being responsible for the then-tie-breaking run, he collapsed with a right oblique strain that will probably put him on the IL for six weeks. If he hadn't been actually hurt, it would have been a good idea to stage an injury just to get him out of the way.
And yes, this is the right place to wonder out lout once again how long it will take the Rays front office to find us a pitcher or two.
After Alvarado left, Jake Faria walked two in a third of an inning, followed by Oliver Drake, who pitched a fine inning and two-thirds, striking out two before Colin Poche came in to give up the game-tying homer to Hicks. And for that stellar performance, he got the win.
From one point of view, this was a great game to watch, but for Rays' fans it was pure torture
The series against the Yankees ends today with the surprising possibility (considering how much they have been manhandled by the Yankees) that they can split the four games. To do that, they will put the ball in Charlie Morton's hands. Could be worse.
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