Rays' Winning Streak Ends After Bullpen Collapses in 8-7 Loss to Yankees
In this story:
NEW YORK — It was there for the taking. Staked with a four-run lead, it looked like the Tampa Bay Rays were going to sweep the Yankees in New York for just the fifth time in their 25-year history.
But following a two-hour delay, the Rays' bullpen fell apart, giving up runs in four different innings and blowing two leads in an 8-7 loss to the Yankees in 10 innings. It was all bad — very bad — and the ending was very hard to swallow after Josh Donaldson hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th after the Rays had scored three runs in the top of the inning.
Tampa Bay's pitching has been great lately during this four-game winning streak that includes two wins in New York. It started that way too on Wednesday night, with starter Corey Kluber pitching five scoreless innings as the Rays built a 4-0 lead.
But then the Yankees, who have been horrible lately, finally got hot. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer off of Kluber to make it 4-2, and then in the seventh, reliever Colin Poche gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases before getting Yankees. Pete Fairbanks walked in a run on four pitches for a 4-3 lead, but then got a first-pitch double play to end the threat.
in the eighth, the Yankees tied the game when Anthony Rizzo won the left-on-left matchup with Brooks Raley, forcing extra innings.
The Rays seemed like a lock to win after scoring three runs in the top of the 10th on a bases-loaded double by catcher Francisco Mejia against hard-throwing Yankees left-hander Aroldis Chapman.
Jalen Beeks was summoned to pitch the 10th — closer Jason Adam wasn't available after pitching three straight days — and the Yankees got to him right away. Torres singled and then Rizzo walked to loaded the bases for Donaldson. He hit the second pitch he saw over the short porch in right field for the grand slam and the win.
“It sucks,’’ Beeks said. “We’re up three in extras, you want to come through for the team. We played a really hard game. And then just to come down to me and I can’t get three outs, it’s always frustrating. That’s on me. I lost the game.’’
The Rays return home to start a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.
Related stories on Rays baseball
- SPRINGS, RAYS WIN AGAIN (Tuesday): The Tampa Bay Rays continued to stay hot on Tuesday night, winning their fourth straight game with the same familiar plan. They got great pitching from Jeffrey Springs and the bullpen, and Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer, his fourth in the past six games, to beat the New York Yankees 3-1. CLICK HERE
- RAYS SHUT OUT YANKEES IN OPENER (Monday): Tampa Bay pitchers continue to dominate and Ryan Yarbrough threw four scoreless innings on Monday night to pick up his first win in nearly a year in the Rays' 4-0 victory over the Yankees in New York. The Yanks were shut out for the second night in a row, something that hasn't happened since 2016. CLICK HERE
