Rays 4, Yankees 2: Longoria Powers Rays To Series Victory

Things weren't looking good for the Rays through the first five innings. They had just one hit and trailed the Yankees 2-0. C.C. Sabathia was cruising, having thrown 73 pitches. Then the sixth inning happened, and the team never looked back on their way to a 4-2 victory.

Sam Fuld leadoff the inning with a single which was followed by a walk from Desmond Jennings. Ben Zobrist drove them in with a double to centerfield. Evan Longoria, who now has 14 extra base hits over his last 16 games, singled him home to give the Rays a 3-2 lead. Sabathia would be chased from the game with one out in the seventh inning. The 33-year-old's ERA now sits at 4.81. The Rays have tagged him for 27 runs in 32.1 innings this season.

David Price wasn't his usual dominant self for the second straight start, but he was able to hold the Yankees to just the two runs through his six innings. He walked just one batter, but it turned out to be a big one as Austin Romine scored the Yankees' first run on a bases loaded walk. They'd add another on a fielder's choice ground out from Ichiro. Price was able to settle down to get Eduardo Nunez to pop out with two men on to end the threat.

The Rays A-Team bullpen was everything you expect from them tonight. Jake McGee, Joel Peralta, and Fernando Rodney combined for three innings of one hit ball, striking out two not walking a soul.

The star of tonight's game was Longoria. After a miserable July that saw him OPS just .635 he's heated back up in August. Coming into tonight his slash line for the month was .257/.342/.571. All he did was go 3-4 with a double, single, and home run. He's gotten back into a groove as Wil Myers has slumped a bit, which makes the timing even better.

Tomorrow the Rays go for the sweep as Alex Cobb takes the mound against Ivan Nova. Cobb has looked good in his two starts since coming off the disabled list. He's allowed two earned runs in 11 innings.