Rays 0, Yankees 9: Odorizzi blinks first before pitchers duel turns to blowout

It was bound to happen sooner or later; the Rays played a game where you look up at the final score and say "well, I guess I didn't miss anything." Except you kinda did. Because for six innings, this was a helluva game.

The First Five

Through five inning, both Tanaka and Odorizzi had shutouts working. Jake had scattered three singles over those five innings -- two of them to his nemesis, Brian McCann -- to go along with seven strikeouts and zero walks. Included among the strikeouts was a first inning K of Alex Rodriguez, where ARod was fooled badly on splits for strikes two and three, and another of ARod on three pitches leading off the fourth, again swinging over the split and missing badly. For the night, he would throw the split 39 times, generating 12 whiffs.

For his part, Tanaka's only trouble came in the first. He gave up only lead off single to David DeJesus to start the frame. After a humpback liner that Gregorio Petit tried and failed to intentionally drop to start a double play, DeJesus moved up to second on a Asdrubal Cabrera ground out. Where he was promptly stranded after a weak at bat by Evan Longoria. The Rays would not see another baserunner until the sixth.

The Pivot Inning

The sixth started innocently enough, as Jacoby Ellsbury flew out to left on the first pitch. Brett Gardner followed, and after dropping in a split for a strike on 2-0 and 3-1, Odorizzi missed on 3-2, putting Gardner on and bringing Rodriguez to the plate. Jake again fell behind, before battling back to full count. Again, he went to the split below the zone. This time, Rodriguez was able to lay off, putting two men on for Mark Teixeira. Two splits out of the zone later and Hickey was out for a mound conference. The talk seemed to do the trick, as Jake rallied to strike out Teix, going with three straight four-seam fastballs before putting him away with a another split.

And then it was Brian McCann.  Because of course it was. If Jake was going to win this game, he was going have to figure out how to get out McCann. Up to that point, McCann was 7 for 12 lifetime against Odorizzi, with a double and two homers. Unfortunately, after this point, McCann was 8 for 13, with a double, a triple, and two homers. But only just barely, because the 1-1 offering from Odor did everything but leave the park, hitting the very top of the wall, chasing home both runners.

Chris Young was then called out on strikes, but the damage was done.

The Retort

Brandon Guyer lead off the bottom of the sixth by ripping a double to left. You had hope for almost ten seconds. But Tanaka proceeded to set down the side and he never got any further. And that was the end of the drama. Because...

Things Get Out of Hand

Oh boy.  The Yankees hung a seven spot in seventh that I'm not even gonna go line-by-line on because it's too painful. I lived through it the first time, and I'm just not gonna subject myself to it again. Here are the lowlights:  C. J. Riefenhauser didn't look very good. Just couldn't finish people. Steven Souza almost made a great catch but the ball clanged off the heel of his glove. He then almost threw out Chase Headley on sac fly, but Bob Davidson faked everybody out. There were more hits and more walks. Grant Balfour also couldn't finish people (and now he's finished). He almost gave up a grand slam to Chris Young on a 3-2 pitch, but it hooked foul. Then he made sure the next pitch was easier to keep fair, and Young obliged. All in all, 12 Yankees came to the plate, and even the outs scored runs (except the last one, obviously). Just ugly.

Nothing Else Happened

Well, nothing of consequence as far as the game goes. But:

• I hate in-game interviews, but Chris Archer was rock solid. Didn't even flinch when they hit him with water and a towel.
• Jose Domiguez worked two innings. His velocity is still down -- tops I saw was 93 or 94 -- but I was surprised that his breaking ball didn't suck.
• Ryan Brett made his debut. Work a nice at bat in the seventh before flying out to left, then worked a walk in the ninth.
• As "sharp" as Tanaka was, he only generated nine whiffs on the night. There was a whole lotta lookin' goin' on.

As for the GDT, it was a light night, so let give credit where it's due to those who defended the fort from the troll invasion. Well done, my brethren and sistren. We'll get 'em next time. Go Rays!