Yandy Diaz went deep twice including a three-run bomb in the eighth that helped the Rays hang onto first place in a big win over the Yankees.
ST PETERSBURG – The Rays have lost consecutive games on the heels of a 9-4 stretch from April 22–May 7. This is only the third time this season the Rays have had a multi-game losing streak, after April 18-21 (4) and May 1 at KC (2). After last night’s loss, just a half game separates Tampa from New York in the standings. A win tonight means the Rays hold onto first place even if the Yankees were to take the series Sunday.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Solo bombs away!
Tampa struck first in the second inning on a solo home run by Avisail Garcia, his sixth of the year, off Yankees starter C.C. Sabathia. The third inning would see Diaz hit his first of two bombs, this one a solo shot off Sabathia putting the Rays up 2-0.
Frazier, LeMahieu lead the comback
The Yankees came back to tie it up in the middle innings off Yonny Chirinos. Clint Frazier doubled home Glayber Torres in the fifth putting the Yankees on the board, 2-1. DJ LeMahieu’s solo home run in the sixth would tie it up at two.
Bottom third lead the comeback
Willy Adames and Ji-Man Choi led the Rays right back in the home half of the sixth. With Garcia on third thanks to a throwing error on a stolen base, Adames singled him home to re-take the lead. Guillermo Heredia advanced to second. Choi came to the plate and scored Heredia on an infield single that LeMahieu couldn’t handle despite a valiant diving effort. The Rays led 4-2 heading into the eighth inning.
Diaz seals it with a three-run jack
When Diaz hits home runs, they go a long way. His three-run home run in the eighth inning off rookie reliever Nestor Cortes Jr sealed the deal and the final score as the Rays regained a 1.5 game lead on the Yankees winning tonight 7-2.
Yandy Diaz hits his 2nd home run of the night. 💥💥#RaysUp 7#Yankees 2 pic.twitter.com/GQI9QuKD2a
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) May 12, 2019
Next Up
Blake Snell (3-3, 3.62) heads to the hill to take on Masahiro Tanaka (2-3, 3.77) in the finale Sunday. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
