Following what was easily the win of the year so far for the Rays, the team hoped to carry the high into tonight’s game.
Ryne Stanek took the ball for his league leading 27th start of the year. For the Yankees, it was the all too familiar face of CC Sabathia.
The Rays got things started in the top of the second when All-Star Austin Meadows announced his return to the lineup with authority:
HOME-RUN: @austin_meadows blasts a solo homer to put @RaysBaseball on the board! ☄️
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) July 16, 2019
Catch all of the action against the NY Yankees LIVE now on FOX Sports Sun and FOX Sports Go! #MLB #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/GwIdlVcBoA
But the Yankees answered right back with a solo homer of their own from Edwin Encarnacion:
28 for in 2019: pic.twitter.com/EsBvuSczMv
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 16, 2019
Jalen Beeks took over for Stanek in the third, fresh off the shuttle from Durham:
#Rays recall left-hander Jalen Beeks and option outfielder Guillermo Heredia to Durham
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) July 16, 2019
After a quick first inning of work, the Rays offense gave Beeks a little something to work with, this time off the bat of Yandy Diaz:
HOME-RUN: @YandyDiaz72 launches a solo homer to return the lead back to @RaysBaseball in the 4th!
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) July 17, 2019
Watch the matchup against the NY Yankees LIVE now on FOX Sports Sun and FOX Sports Go! #MLB #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/ELVcOwMxME
Avisail Garcia looked to add another in the same inning, but Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner had something to say about that:
Gardyan Angel. pic.twitter.com/NRxGdDYfAG
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 17, 2019
Diaz provided more offense in the sixth, this time with a double to the wall that scored Mike Brosseau.
Following a strikeout by Garcia on a questionable call to end the inning, he and Sabathia exchanged words, causing the benches to clear, albeit quickly. The Yankees proceeded to add one of their own on a homer by DJ LeMahieu.
It would spell the end of the night for Beeks, who, apart from that, dazzled in his 3.1 innings of work, striking out five:
Jalen Beeks, Wicked 79mph Curveball (and unique arm action). pic.twitter.com/cye33EOMsE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 17, 2019
Hunter Wood replaced Beeks, who induced a double play from Luke Voit to end the sixth. In the next half inning, the Rays had a bases loaded one out threat, but hit into a double play of their own, coming away with nothing to show for it.
Wood got one more out in the bottom of the inning before giving up a base hit to Encarnacion. He was immediately replaced by Colin Poche, who’d get the job done in the seventh, but wouldn’t have the same success in the eighth, allowing a two run homer to Aaron Judge.
Poche continued to struggle after that, loading that bases and eventually giving up a grand slam to Didi Gregorius, breaking the game open. The Rays would get two on in the bottom of the ninth, but nothing came of the mild threat.
The Rays look to bounce back tomorrow with Yonny Chirinos on the hill.