Yankees Blank Rays 2-0, Take Series Opener

Clarke Schmidt pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings and Clay Holmes got his 12th save of the year in the New York Yankees' 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings in their 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — You can't win if you don't score, and Clarke Schmidt and the New York Yankees made that the storyline on Friday night. Schmidt pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed only five hits in the Yankees' 2-0 shutout win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

It was another outstanding start for Schmidt, who struck out six and now has gone eight straight starts with allowing three runs or less. His ERA dropped to 2.95, and he's now 4-1 on the year

Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo provided all the necessary offense. He had an RBI single in the fourth inning and homered to lead off the ninth inning for an insurance run. The Yankees are now 26-14 on the season, the most wins in the American League. They remained a half-game behind Baltimore in the AL East race. Baltimore beat Arizona 4-2 on Friday night. The Rays dropped to 19-20.

It was a bit of a stressful finish for the Yankees. Closer Clay Holmes walked two batters and gave up a two-out single to load the bases. But he struck out Rays center fielder Jonny DeLuca to end the game, earning his 12th save of the season. He's still yet to allow an earned run in 2024.

The win spoiled the 2024 debut of Rays starter Taj Bradley, who missed the first six weeks of the season with a pectoral injury. He allowed just one run and four hits in six innings and struck out seven.

The Rays hurt themselves on the base paths throughout the game. Shortstop Jose Caballero was thrown out trying to steal third base in the third inning, Randy Arozarena was picked off at first in the sixth inning and Isaac Parades was caought trying to steal second in the seventh inning.