The Tampa Bay Rays almost pulled off an improbable comeback against the New York Yankees, but as we all know, almost doesn’t count in the standings.
The Yankees narrowly defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4, handing the Rays their first loss in a road rubber game and their first road series loss of the season. Luis Gil was truly king of the hill as the 25 year old overpowered the Rays for his first MLB win in three years. A fifth-inning meltdown by Rays’ pitcher Aaron Civale certainly helped his cause.
The Yankees offense was very effective at converting mistakes into runs. In the bottom of the first, after with two base runners thanks to two walks and two outs, Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI single to give New York an early 1-0 lead.
Luis Gil was a formidable presence on the mound, striking out nine Rays hitters with a mix of fastballs, changeups, and sliders. Essentially the only blemish on Gil’s performance was a balk that allowed José Caballero to score the Rays’ first run and the only run he allowed. His command and velocity were key factors in keeping the Rays’ bats silent.
Civale started the bottom of the fifth getting Juan Soto and Aaron Judge with groundouts to shortstop. With those two bats retired, it should have just been a matter of time to get the third out, but everything fell apart instead. Civale, who had been effectively managing the Yankees’ hitters, suddenly lost control
Civale’s lapse led to a sequence of walks that loaded the bases, setting the stage for Alex Verdugo, who delivered a crucial two-run single. Two more consecutive RBI singles from Jose Trevino and Oswaldo Cabrera extended the Yankees’ lead to 5-1, ending Civale’s day.
Despite the setback, Erasmo Ramirez provided a masterclass in staying calm while everything is on fire, entering the game in relief of Civale. Ramirez pitched with poise and calm, curbing the Yankees’ offense and giving the Rays a fighting chance if they manage to claw back into the game. His performance should, for the moment, quiet critics on if he still can contribute to this bullpen.
Kept afloat on by Ramirez’s efforts, the Rays showed commendable tenacity in their comeback attempt. In the eighth inning, they rallied as Amed Rosario hit a two-run double followed by an RBI single from Curtis Mead, cutting the deficit to just one run.
The Yankees, however, managed to preserve their lead in the final inning with Victor González securing the save, getting the final on a fluke play that deflected off his glove, and he recovered to get the ball to Anthony Rizzo to get out a sliding Harold Ramirez. Sliding into first base will never make sense to me since you slow your momentum on a close play.
The loss probably stings more when you overcome a deficit and get within striking distance of a comeback and a win. Especially, after this Rays team has shown that resilience this year on the road. If this team wants to hang another postseason banner, they will have to find a way to scrap out wins from games like today.
The Rays return to Tropicana Field tomorrow to face the Detroit Tigers. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:50 p.m.
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