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Yankees Game 33: Five Trop taters and CC wins

In a meeting between the first and second place teams in the AL East, the Bronx Bombers played the role of Bay Bombers, as the New York Yankees smashed the Tampa Bay Rays, 11-5, at Tropicana Field. In addition to the five homers hammered out by the Yanks lineup, CC Sabathia finally got off the schneid, recording his first victory of 2015. At 21-12, the Yankees now own the best record in the AL.

On the season, the Bronx Bomers have 43 home runs, third in baseball.

Alex Rodriguez began the barrage of home runs in the first frame, launching a solo shot to left-center, off Alex Colome. A-Rod’s eighth of the season, posted the Yanks to a 1-0 advantage.

Tampa would counter in the home half. After Sabathia issued a pair of walks and a sac fly moved both runners into scoring position, Logan Forsythe doubled home Brandon Guyer, knotting the game at one. On the same play however, Steven Souza Jr. was ruled out, in a home-plate collision. Sabathia would fan Joey Butler and avert any further damage.

Following the first Rays run, Sabathia retired 14 of the next 15 batters faced. On the outing, Sabathia tossed seven strong frames, whiffing nine. Other than a pair of solo home runs by Forsythe and Butler in the seventh, “Big CC” followed “Big Mike,” with a superb start.

In the fourth, the Yanks busted out the whooping stick again. Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira singled, then with two-outs, Chase Headley lifted a three-run homer to right, reclaiming the lead at 4-1. It was Headley’s fourth home run of the campaign.

The ensuing inning, Beltran launched his second long ball of the season and second in as many contests, lining one to right-center, increasing the New York edge to 5-1.

For the third straight inning, the Yanks knocked another round tripper in the sixth. With two down, Stephen Drew doubled and Didi Gregorius walked, setting up a three-run home run to center, by Brett Gardner. Gardner’s third big fly of the year, gave the Yanks an 8-1 advantage.

New York capped off the scoring in the ninth, on a two-run Teixeira tater to left-center, off Erasmo Ramirez. Teixeira’s eleventh, the second most in baseball, staked the Yanks to an 11-5 lead.

David Carpenter and Branden Pinder were good enough to give Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller the evening off, combining to record the final six outs.

Win: CC Sabathia (1-5)

Loss: Alex Colome (2-1)

Notables

Yankees

Mark Teixeira: 3-for-4, HR (11), two-RBI, three runs scored

Chase Headley: 2-for-4, HR (4), four-RBI, one run scored

Rays

Logan Forsythe: 3-for-4, HR (3) double, three-RBI, one run scored

Joey Butler: 1-for-4, HR (2) and RBI, one run scored

Current Yankees record: 21-12 (best record in the AL)

Current Rays record: 17-16