Yankees: 1, Rays: 2 - Wonderful Willy

This part of the schedule is rough. The Rays are in the middle of a 14 game streak where they play the Yankees AND Astros seven times each, with a nice little 2 game series against the Nationals.

Rays would send out Ryne Stanek to open against the Yankees powerful lineup, and would have a shaky start. He would put up a zero, despite giving up a single and a walk.

Yankees veteran CC Sabathia would be on the hill for the Yankees, and the Rays would get opportunities early and often against the big lefty.

The first chance would come early for the Rays in the 1st after back to back singles by Matt Duffy and Wilson Ramos. Jake Bauers would work a walk after being down 0-2 to load the bases, but Daniel Robertson would hit a weak liner to end the inning.

Ryan Yarborough would take over as the “starter” for the Rays, and was not the sharp pitcher we have seen in the past. He would work around a leadoff double by Hicks by striking out Greg Bird and getting Andujar and Gardner out to keep the Yankees off the board. The Hicks double would be the only hit given up by Yarby, and he would exit the game after a short 3.1 IP and leave with only 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB and 4 Ks.

Cash would follow the early hook on Yarby for Diego Castillo, who would make quick work of the Yankees lineup with the help of Adames.

Rays strike first

Rays would be the first team to put a run on the board, with an Adames double (that was overturned upon review) to score Robertson. 1-0 Rays.

Rays got another chance in the next inning after Duffy and Ramos would single to put runners at the corners and Cron hit a LONG fly ball that was caught by a leaping Giancarlo Stanton to make it a sac fly instead of a hit and give the Rays a 2 run lead.

Another chance would come in the sixth with the Rays putting on Gomez, Adames, and Kiermaier with two outs, and Matt Duffy working a beautiful 11 pitch at bat, but it would end in a ground out and no runs. Still 2-0 Rays.

Castillo would be done after 1.2 innings, giving up no hits, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts, and Cash would go to Chaz Roe, who by the way, has a 0.64 ERA in the past 15 IP.

Which means things were going to go terribly of course. After getting the first batter, Miguel Andujar to fly out, Roe would give up a 4 pitch walk to Torres, and back to back singles by Gardner and Judge to make it 2-1 Yankees and bring up Giancarlo Stanton with two on. Stanton would ground out after a mound visit, but that would be it for Roe.

Alvarado would come on to face Gregorious and end the Yankees threat as he got him to ground out. Whew.

Rays would be able to hang on for the win with Romo closing it out, working around a lead off single, and getting Torres to fly out, and Gardner to hit into a double play turned by Adames and Bauers. We finally won a 1 run game!

Game 2 is tomorrow at 4:10 PM with Sonny Gray taking on Opener Wilmer Font.