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ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 15: Adam Warren #43 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees on September 15, 2015 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Yankees game 144: Young bullpen falters in loss

New York Yankees 3 – Tampa Bay Rays 6

The Yankees turned to younger arms and it came back to haunt them.

In the first inning against Jake Odorizzi, the Yankees first two batters were set down but Alex Rodriguez made sure the Yankees got early offense. On a 1-0 pitch, Alex Rodriguez got a hold of a fastball and put it deep over the seats in right field for a solo home run.

The 32nd home run of Rodriguez’s season put the Yankees ahead by one.

For the Yankees, Adam Warren took a spot start, his first in months, and it did not go his way unfortunately.

After a single by John Jaso against the shift, Grady Sizemore hit a soft pop up down the left field line, a location that no one was aware of except left fielder Brett Gardner. Despite it falling in for a hit, Jaso was thrown out trying to get to third base. On another soft fly ball, this time to right field, Evan Longoria reached base and Grady Sizemore successfully reached third base. A single to right field by Logan Forsythe put the Rays on the board, tying the game at 1. A fortunate double play, started by Greg Bird helped keep the poor inning from getting worse.

After the rough first inning for Warren, the second inning featured some poor defense.

Following the first out of the second inning, Mikie Mahtook hit a ground ball that got by the glove of Chase Headley at third base, allowing him to reach second for a one-out double. After striking out Kiermaier for the second out, Mahtook tried to steal third base and Brian McCann made a throw in the dirt to Headley. The throwing error allowed Mahtook to score and put the Rays ahead.

In the fourth inning, the Yankees offense came from a young bat.

Alex Rodriguez led the fourth inning off with a walk. Two outs later, Greg Bird came up and fought off pitches, for a 10-pitch full count. Finally, Bird got a hold of the 10th pitch, hitting it to straight away center field for a go-ahead two-run home run.

Following the two-out single in the second inning by J.P. Arencibia, Adam Warren retired seven straight to get him through four innings.

In four innings, Adam Warren allowed two runs on six hits while walking none and striking out four.

In the top of the fifth, Didi Gregorius reached on a fielding error and Stephen Drew walked to start the inning well. Jacoby Ellsbury, mired in a hitless slump, sacrificed to advance the runners into scoring position. Unfortunately, Brett Gardner hit a ground ball back to the pitcher, who got Gregorius out between third and home. Alex Rodriguez struck out looking as the Yankees missed a good opportunity to add runs to their lead.

James Pazos came on for the fifth inning and got one out but gave up a hit. Nick Rumbelow came in for relief of Pazos and struck out the next two he faced, including Evan Longoria, to keep the lead at one.

In the sixth inning, Nick Rumbelow returned to the mound and he started the inning by giving up a single to Logan Forsythe. Nick Franklin, who came in earlier as a replacement for an injured Asdrubal Cabrera, got a hold of a hanging changeup and put it deep into the right field seats for a go-ahead two run home run, changing their one-run deficit into a one-run lead.

Despite getting an out, Rumbelow gave up another single before Chasen Shreve came in to clean up the inning. He finished off the sixth inning and got an out in the seventh for a much-needed scoreless appearance from the lefty.

The Yankees bullpen managed to keep it to a one-run game until the eighth inning, when Bryan Mitchell came on for relief.

After getting the first out, James Loney and Mikie Mahtook hit consecutive singles. After a force out erased Mahtook off the bases, J.P. Arencibia dealt a big blow with a soft hit, when right fielder Rico Noel could not make the diving catch on a shallow fly ball to right center. On the base hit, James Loney and Kevin Kiermaier scored, putting the Rays ahead by three.

In the ninth inning, Brandon Gomes got the first two Yankees out quickly but pinch-hitter Dustin Ackley kept the inning alive with a single to right field. Jacoby Ellsbury reached on a fielding error by first baseman James Loney, to extend the inning. Brett Gardner flew out to left field, ending the potential rally short.

 

Win – Jake Odorizzi (8-8)

Loss – Nick Rumbelow (1-1)

Save – Brandon Gomes (1)

 

Yankees

*Greg Bird – 1 for 3, R, BB, Two-run home run (6) in the 4th, 2 RBI (19)

*Alex Rodriguez – 1 for 3, 2 R, BB, Solo home run (32) in the 1st, RBI (83)

Rays

*Nick Franklin – 1 for 2, R, Two-run home run (2) in the 6th, 2 RBI (6)

*Logan Forsythe – 2 for 4, R, RBI (60)

 

Current Yankees Record: 79-65