TAMPA —In what turned into one of the most frustrating losses of the season, the Yankees fell just short of a series opening win, as the Rays survived 7-6, at Tropicana Field.
Gary Sanchez was the man of the hour as he was involved in two critical plays that could’ve changed the outcome of this game.
In the first inning, the Yankee catcher nonchalantly went after a passed ball, which allowed Jake Bauers to score all the way from second for the game’s opening run.
This evidently frustrated Luis Severino, who was seen arguing with Sanchez in the dugout after the inning.
This loss, however, cannot be entirely put on Sanchez as the Yankee ace did not have his best stuff in this one, as well.
Today was arguably his worst start of the season as the right-hander gave up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits, in just five-plus innings of work. The big blow was a three-run home run by Bauers in the fifth, before the Rays tacked on three more in the sixth.
Severino was definitely not at his best but the team still had a chance of stealing this game from the Rays.
Thanks to Giancarlo Stanton’s two-RBI single in the seventh, the last of his four hits, New York was looking at just a one run lead with still six outs to go.
Giancarlo Stanton has an MLB-best six games with 4+ hits this year.
📺 #YANKSonYES
📱https://t.co/J0tSSvyn3r pic.twitter.com/t95pcfkw4r— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 24, 2018
Facing Jose Alvarado in the ninth, Brett Gardner started the frame with a single, with Aaron Judge following with a walk. Didi Gregorius then bunted the two over into scoring position with still just one out.
The Rays then intentionally walked Stanton to load the bases for Aaron Hicks, who grounded into a force out at home for the inning’s second out.
The team’s last chance was Sanchez, who hit a strong grounder to the second baseman Daniel Robertson, who was shading a bit up the middle.
Though Robertson was initially unsuccessful at beating Hicks to second with the toss, shorstop Willy Adames smartly threw the ball to first to get the Yankee catcher, who did not run out of the box hard, out to end the ballgame in favor of Tampa Bay.
How the game ended with Gary Sanchez's at-bat 👇 pic.twitter.com/Y1P2BXb5Qk
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 24, 2018
With the team struggling, it surely cannot wait for the return of Gleyber Torres on Wednesday. This loss dropped the team’s record to .500 without Torres, while boasting an approximate .800 winning percentage whenever he is in the lineup.
Masahiro Tanaka will look to get the Yankees back in the win column tomorrow, as he faces Yonny Chirinos.
Current Yankees Record: 63-35
