YANKEES NARROWLY AVOID SWEEP BY RAYS

- April Claudio, Contributor

Tuesday night the Yankees started a 3 game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Carlos Rodon pitched against Ryan Pepiot. Rodon pitched 4 innings, and gave up 4 runs on 5 hits and struck out 5. Pepiot pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up 1 run on 4 hits and struck out 7. The Yankees went up 1-0 in the first inning. Juan Soto walked, Alex Verdugo hit a single and Soto scored on a single by Gleyber Torres who was back in the lineup. But the Rays also scored in the first inning. Yandy Diaz scored on a fielding error by Verdugo and Isaac Paredes hit a 3 run home run. The score was now 1-4. Rookie Ben Rice hit a 2 run home run in the seventh inning putting the Yankees down just 1 run but the Rays scored another run off Michael Tonkin in the eighth inning. The Yankees couldn’t get anything going after Rice’s home run. Final score 3-5, Rays won.

Wednesday night Marcus Stroman pitched against Zach Eflin. Stroman pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up 1 run and struck out 2. Eflin pitched 7 innings gave up 2 runs, 1 earned and struck out 6. Despite a great outing by Eflin he earned the loss as the Yankees won 2-1. The Yankees used 4 bullpen pitchers to close out the game and combined they gave up no runs and only 3 hits and 3 walks. Clay Holmes earned his 20th save. The Rays’ only run came in the fifth inning off a couple singles and a fielder’s choice groundout. The Yankees’ 2 runs came courtesy of Trent Grisham. He hit a RBI double in the second inning and a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Thursday night Nestor Cortes pitched against Shane Baz. Cortes pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up 5 runs and struck out four. The Yankees were losing 3-5 as Cortes ran into trouble in the fifth inning loading the bases on one out. Michael Tonkin came in to get the Yankees out of jam and he completed that task with a double play. Baz also pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up 3 runs and struck out 5. Randy Arozarena hit a 2 run home run in the first inning to put the Rays ahead early. Austin Wells hit a solo home run in the second inning to put the Yankees down by 1. They tied the game in the third inning with a solo home run by Juan Soto but the Rays added 3 more runs in the third inning. The Yankees scored 1 run in the fifth inning off a sacrifice fly by Ben Rice putting them down by 2. The Yankees tried to rally in the ninth inning. Oswaldo Cabrera walked, Juan Soto walked, Ben Rice hit a single allowing Cabrera to score but with 2 outs and 2 runners on base, Gleyber Torres popped out behind second base to Jose Caballero. Caballero dropped the ball when celebrating and the Yankees challenged the catch but they loss the challenge. Final score 4-5, Rays win.

The Yankees starting pitchers continue to struggle getting past the fifth inning, which is tough to watch considering how well they all were doing to start the year. Despite all the losses the Yankees continue to be in second place and not far behind Baltimore. They head into a 3 game series over the weekend against Baltimore before the All Star break.

In other news, Giancarlo Stanton might be back after the All Star break.

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