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(Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Yankees Game 18: Blown out from the beginning

(Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
(Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

New York Yankees 1 — Tampa Bay Rays 16

As you can see from the score, tonight’s game at Tampa Bay will not be one to look back on.

A scoreless first inning by Ivan Nova that included two strikeouts gave the Yankees hope that they would bounce back from a tough loss last night. This first inning was only a tease for those with their hearts in pinstripes. In the second inning, Wil Myers would put the Rays on the board with a home run to left field. Catcher Ryan Hanigan would join the party to start the beginning of an outstanding night with his second home run of the season in the third inning. Perennial Yankees killer Evan Longoria would continue to be the nightmare of the Yankees with a two-run home run in the third inning too. Hanigan liked the first home run so much he did it twice, this time a two-run home run to give the Rays an early 6-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Alfonso Soriano would hit a high chopping single in the infield that Ben Zobrist had no play on. Kelly Johnson would hit a laser of a double to left field that brought home Soriano to get the Yankees on the board. That’s all the offense really did tonight. Over 6.2 innings, Chris Archer continued his dominance over the Yankees. He allowed one run on three hits while striking out four.

The bottom half of the fifth saw Zobrist hit a single to join the hit parade and Matt Joyce hit a double to put runners on second and third with no one out. Nova would throw another pitch to Evan Longoria before shaking his right arm and this brought out Joe Girardi and head medical trainer Steve Donahue to check on the struggling righty.

Ivan Nova would exit the game with what is currently being called “right elbow soreness.” Recent call-up Matt Daley would come in to face Longoria and he kept the Yankees killer in the ballpark but it was deep enough for a sacrifice fly. Wil Myers would hit a three-run home run after an intentional walk to James Loney. Daley would get the last two outs to end the inning.

Over four innings, Ivan Nova allowed eight runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out four. Hopefully the injury isn’t a serious or the dreaded one.

The Rays would bat around in the sixth inning, including more runs brought in by Evan Longoria and James Loney. Dellin Betances would come in and allow a pair of inherited runners to score to make it a 14-1 ballgame.

Dellin Betances would have a 1-2-3 seventh inning, so there’s that…

In usual blowout fashion, position players get the privilege to pitch. The chosen position player for tonight’s game is utility infielder Dean Anna. The infielder-turned-pitcher (for a day) would give up a single and a double before getting a pair of outs, to the joy of Yankees fans who endured the game this far. Ryan Hanigan would hit two runs in before David DeJesus had the one bad night in the Rays dugout, going 0-for-6, including an out to a position player. Of the Yankees pitchers who allowed a run, Dean Anna allowed two on three hits. Sign him up!

In a game like this , it’s hard to find a positive. But in baseball, there’s always tomorrow. The Yankees can look to split a four-game series with a win tomorrow and take some momentum into Fenway to face the Boston Red Sox.

 

Win – Chris Archer (2-1)

Loss – Ivan Nova (2-2)

 

Notables

Yankees

*Kelly Johnson – 1 for 3, 2B, RBI (8)

*Dellin Betances – 1.2 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks 3 strikeouts

Rays

*Ryan Hanigan – 3 for 4, 2 R, 2 HR (3; Solo & 2-Run) in the 3rd & 4th, 6 RBI (11)

*Wil Myers – 3 for 4, 4 R, BB, 2B, 2 HR (2; Solo & 3-Run) in the 2nd & 5th, 4 RBI (11)

 

Current Yankees Record: 10-8