New York Yankees 5 – Tampa Bay Rays 3
The Yankees came into today’s game with their first series win of the season in hand but the sweep in sight.
In the first inning against the Rays starter Matt Andriese, Jacoby Ellsbury started the game with a single. He would advance to second on a balk and third on a sacrifice by Brett Gardner. One batter later, Mark Teixeira would hit a sacrifice fly to right field and the Yankees manufactured the first run of the game.
Michael Pineda would look to have a shut down inning right out of the gate but struggled early.
The bottom of the first inning would start with a leadoff walk of David DeJesus. The leadoff walk would haunt Pineda immediately when Steven Souza Jr. hit a two-run home run just over the left field wall to change the Yankees one-run lead into a one-run deficit. Pineda would give up one more hit in the inning but a pair of ground outs and a runner caught stealing prevented more damage.
In the third inning, the Yankees got another leadoff single by Ellsbury but he would be caught stealing. Brett Gardner followed with a single and Alex Rodriguez put two in scoring position with a double to left field. Mark Teixeira would make the productive out with a ground ball to second, scoring Gardner to tie the game. Chase Headley followed with a single that brought home Rodriguez, giving the Yankees the lead.
In the fourth inning, Garrett Jones was the beneficiary of risky defense by center fielder Desmond Jennings. On a dipping line drive to center field, Jennings made a sliding attempt at it and missed it, allowing the ball to get by him and Jones started the inning with a triple. John Ryan Murphy would hit a deep fly ball to center field to easily score Jones on a sacrifice fly.
In the fifth inning, Alex Rodriguez led off the inning with a walk. After a ground out advanced him to second, Chase Headley would hit a ringing double down the right field line, scoring Rodriguez and increasing the lead to three.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Pineda would give up a one-out single and Steven Souza Jr. would strike again, hitting a double to left field, pulling the Rays within two.
In 5 2/3 innings, Michael Pineda allowed three runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out five.
The Yankees would turn to strong contributors in the bullpen to nail down the remainder of the game. Chris Martin, Justin Wilson and Dellin Betances would combine for 2 1/3 innings with two baserunners allowed while striking out three. Andrew Miller would come on for the save in the ninth inning. Miller would give up a leadoff double in the ninth inning, putting the potential tying run at the plate. But the lefty would get tougher, striking out the next three batters, all swinging and all on sliders, notching his fourth save of the season and locking down the first series sweep of the 2015 season.
Through the first seven innings, the Yankees got the lead off batter on base, whether it be by hit or by walk, a very impressive feat by the offense.
Win – Michael Pineda (2-0)
Loss – Matt Andriese (0-1)
Save – Andrew Miller (4)
Notables
Yankees
*Chase Headley – 2 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI (7)
*Alex Rodriguez – 1 for 3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2B
Rays
*Steven Souza Jr. – 3 for 5, R, 2B, Two-run Home Run (3) in the 1st, 3 RBI (10)
*David DeJesus – 1 for 2, 2 R, BB
Current Yankees Record: 6-6
