New York Yankees 4 – Tampa Bay Rays 2
Hiroki Kuroda starts for the Yankees and the first inning would continue to haunt the righty. After getting the first out, Ben Zobrist and Matt Joyce would hit a pair of singles to put runners on the corners. A ground out to second baseman Martin Prado would score the first run of the game.
On the other side, Rays Jeremy Hellickson would be in control through the early parts of the game. Other than an error in the first inning and a walk in the second, Hellickson would not surrender a hit through the first four innings.
In the fifth inning, Martin Prado would get the Yankees first hit, a double down the left field line with two outs. With Drew on third and Prado on second, Brett Gardner would come through with runners in scoring position. A single to center field would score two runs and give the Yankees the lead. Derek Jeter would come through on a hit-and-run, pulling a ball to left where the shortstop abandoned on the running Gardner to put runners on the corners. Jacoby Ellsbury, buried in an 0-for-17 skid would snap it with a single to left field that brought home the Yankees third run of the game.
After coming within one out of five no-hit innings, Hellickson would be looking at a 3-1 deficit after a walk and four straight hits.
For Hiroki Kuroda, not only would he make the lead stand up, he would be dominant. After the one-out single by Matt Joyce, Hiroki Kuroda would retire the next 17 batters until a Matt Joyce double in the seventh inning. Evan Longoria would hit a run-scoring single before Kuroda got the next two outs. A walk of Vince Belnome would be the end of Kuroda’s day. Shawn Kelley would take over with runners on first and third but would get a strikeout of pinch hitter Brandon Guyer to finish off Kuroda’s line.
In 6.2 innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed two runs o four hits while walking one and striking out one. He generated 10 ground outs and just four fly outs.
A 3-2 lead is good but a 4-2 lead is better so the extra beads of sweat a one-run lead gives you could be wiped away with Mark Teixeira’s 20th home run of the season. The solo home run would come in the eighth inning with one out.
Dellin Betances would allow one hit in the eighth inning but got a pair of strikeouts in a scoreless inning. David Robertson would get his second save opportunity in as many days. He would get a pair of fly outs for a quick 12-pitch scoreless ninth inning and his 33rd save of the season.
The home run by Mark Teixeira is his 361st of his career, tying him for 80th all-time with Yankees great, Joe DiMaggio.
Win – Hiroki Kuroda (8-8)
Loss – Jeremy Hellickson (1-2)
Save – David Robertson (33)
Notables
Yankees
*Brett Gardner – 1 for 4, R, 2 RBI (52)
*Mark Teixeira – 1 for 4, R Solo Home Run (20) in the 8th, RBI (53)
Rays
*Evan Longoria – 1 for 4, 2 RBI (66)
*Matt Joyce – 2 for 4, R, 2B
Current Yankees Record: 63-59
