El Bronx, NY - As the team leaves New York for an 11-game
road trip before the All-Star Game (No
Baseball in el Bronx for 15 days) they've lost 5 in a row and fell under .500
ball. Tampa on the other hand leaves with 5 straight victories.
The Yankees began the
game with four straight loses and an even record at 41-41 on a hot steamy clear
afternoon at the Stadium. Scoring runs have been an issue. Power numbers down
and batting averages are low in the heart of the batting order. To boot, Mark Teixeira and Jacoby Ellsbury
were not in the lineup.
The Yankees starting pitcher has been, after RHP Masahiro
Tanaka, somewhat mediocre, yet the bullpen has been its strength and helps
explains at least their staying in the
mix when other teams in the division are also struggling.
Bret Gardner scored the first run of the game on the bottom
of the 1st inning leading off with a homerun (8).
Two additional hits by catcher Brian McCann and Designated
hitter Carlos Beltrán followed a Derek Jeter fly-out to center, but the next
two outs stranded those runners on base. In all, the Yankees would leave 9
runners stranded on base.
Tampa tied the game on the top of the 3rd on a walk and a
two base hit by DH Ben Zobrist putting runners on second and third, followed by
Brian MaCann letting a pitch by Vida Nuño get pass him thus allowing the runner
on third to score.
But the Yankees --
and one may say MaCann -- got a run back in their bottom of the 3rd when he hit
towering homerun (10)to right.
On the top of the 4th the Rays scored a run to tie the game
on successive hits: second baseman Logan Forsyth doubled followed by Sean Rodriguez single who was
thrown out on second trying to stretch it into a double while the run scored.
The play was challenged but the out was upheld.
For a third time the Yankees retake the lead -- on a mini rally at best: a hit by Alfonso
Soriano, a walk to Ichiro Suzuki and after two successive outs, Brett Gardner
bounced a ground ball single under the glove of Tampa first baseman James Loney
scoring Soriano for the Yankee's third run.
On the top of the 5th, on what up to then seemed to be one
for you and one for me see-saw scoring game, Tampa tied the game for the third
time: a runner was thrown out at the
plate by Brett Garnder on a hit by Branden Guyer that scored the front runner
of previous single and double.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Yankees went down in order.
Tampa began its top of the 6th with a hit by Logan Forsythe, his second of the
game and this was all for Yankee's starter Vidal Nuño.
Skipper Joe Girardi bought in reliever Shawn Kelly. Well,
Tampa shortstop Sean Rodriguez greeted
him with a 2-run home run (8) to deep left center field, allowing Tampa to take
a 5-3 lead.
Tampa plated another run on the top of the ninth on a bases
loaded grounder to first baseman Kelly Johnson
who could not come up with the ball cleanly to throw home for a force out.
On the other hand, Tampa relievers kept the Yankees scoreless for 5 innings
after the 4th. With two outs, runners were left in scoring position by Alfonso
Soriano, Derek Jeter, Kelly Johnson and
Yangervis Solarte. Yet the Yankees dished out 10 hits (to Tampa's 12)
The Yankees began
with a good 17-3 record when leading after the first inning, but this was not
going to be one of them. Somehow in the upcoming road-trip the Yankees need to make a statement -- one that will carry
over to the post-All Star hot days of summer.
Final Rays 6, Yankees 3
WP: Jake Odorizzi (4-7)
LP: Vidal Nuño (2-5)
SV: Brad Boxberger (1)
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