New York Yankees 10 — Tampa Bay Rays 2
The Yankees opened a four-game series visiting the Tampa Bay Rays by facing the ace, David Price.
The Yankees wouldn’t make David Price look like an ace tonight when Jacoby Ellsbury started with a high chopper infield single. Derek Jeter would walk but the next two batters would be out before Brian McCann would come through. Defying the shift, Brian McCann hit a single to left field and the Yankees would be on the board first.
The Yankees wouldn’t let up in the second inning. Scott Sizemore started the second inning with a double to deep left field. Brian Roberts would follow with a deep triple to center field that was assisted by a poorly timed dive by center fielder Brandon Guyer to bring in Sizemore. With one out, Jacoby Ellsbury would hit a triple of his own to deep center field and the Yankees were up by three. Derek Jeter would join the fun and hit a single to center field for a fourth run in the game.
So three is the theme, not just on the offense side though.
After a leadoff double by Evan Longoria, Wil Myers would walk to put runners on first and second with no one out for Sean Rodriguez. Then this happened.
The traditional 5-4-3 triple play. Yangervis Solarte to Brian Roberts to Scott Sizemore. This was the third triple play since 2010. Coincidentally, the last two double plays also took place in April and CC Sabathia was on the mound for both of them. Some players never get to compete in a triple play and for Scott Sizemore, tonight is his first game at first base, ever! What are the odds?
In the fourth inning, Logan Forsythe hit a single and Evan Longoria reached base on a strange error. Longoria hit into the shifted defense but because it was such an unorthodox path to second base, Brian Roberts couldn’t turn the double play and when he threw to first, the throw pulled Sizemore off of first base for an error to put two on and no outs. Situation seems familiar but the result wouldn’t be the same. Wil Myers would hit into a double play. CC Sabathia would throw a passed ball and the string of scoreless innings by Yankees starting pitchers would end at 19.
In the fifth inning, Alfonso Soriano would hit his fourth home run of the season. Brian McCann would like what he saw so much he would go back-to-back for his third home run of the season.
In a 8-1 game, CC Sabathia would get to go deep into the game as he continues to figure out how to work with his lower velocity. In the seventh inning, Sean Rodriguez would make his night feel a little better with a solo home run off of Sabathia. Sabathia would allow one more hit but he would pitch a good seven innings.
Over seven innings, CC Sabathia allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits while walking two and striking out six. He didn’t have his best control but the Rays helped Sabathia out in tonight’s dominant victory.
The theme of the night was still three. We had a triple play and two triples but was that the only connection threes? Not completely. In the ninth inning, with the game well in control, the rookie Yangervis Solarte would hit the third home run of the night, a two-run home run. This was the first major league home run of Yangervis Solarte, producing a dugout-wide cheer and smiles as one of the great stories of the 2014 season had another Yankees moment.
The Yankees had a season-high 16 hits and a season-high 10 runs, the first time the Yankees hit double digits runs this season. Brian Roberts came a home run short from the cycle. Solarte and Soriano each got three hits. Jeter, McCann and Ellsbury all had two hits and each hit for extra bases too. The last time the Yankees scored six earned runs against David Price was the only time they did it, July 18, 2010.
Win – CC Sabathia (2-2)
Loss – David Price (2-1)
Notables
Yankees
*Brian McCann – 2 for 5, 2 R, Solo Home Run (3) in the 5th, 2 RBI (8)
*Brian Roberts – 3 for 5, 2 R, 1B, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI (3)
*Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 for 4, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI (6)
Rays
*Sean Rodriguez – 1 for 3, R, Solo Home Run (2) in the 7th, RBI (5)
*Evan Longoria – 2 for 4, 2B
Current Yankees Record: 10-6
