New York Denied The American League East Lead With Loss To Tampa Bay
In the end New York couldn’t take the lead in their division.
Instead they suffered a 7-2 loss while Tampa Bay extended their lead in the division.
Anytime you're in a game like that and don't finish an inning off the way you can, that's frustrating, but it's also part of it," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "We just couldn't get that final out there unfortunately, and then they were able to shut us down." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
It was less that New York couldn't get anything going than it was that the Yankees just couldn't quite finish it off. The biggest squandered opportunity, however, was that with a win, New York would've leapfrogged the Rays into first place in the American League East. Instead, the Yankees will enter Sunday 1 1/2 games back. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
New York had a runner in scoring position in three of the first five innings but capitalized just once, and Tampa Bay didn't permit the Yankees many more chances. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
After not having much luck against Rays opener Ryne Stanek through two innings, the Yankees began to peck away at his replacement, Yonny Chirinos, in the fifth. Gleyber Torres opened the frame with his second hit of the game, then scored from first on Clint Frazier's double to center to bring New York to within 2-1. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
DJ LeMahieu then led off the sixth with a homer, his second of the year, to tie the game. Chirinos responded by sandwiching a double-play groundout between two hit batters but wiggled out of trouble when Torres grounded out to end the threat. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
"We've been playing great," LeMahieu said. "We've been playing great baseball. Hopefully, [we'll] come out tomorrow and win the series." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
CC Sabathia labored throughout his five-inning outing but managed to limit the damage to a pair of home runs, one each to lead off the second and third innings. Sabathia was assisted in large part by the defenders behind him who made sure the Rays' hard contact turned into harmless flyouts.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
During a game in which the left-hander said he "didn't really have good stuff," Sabathia managed to save the bullpen from early action. He allowed three hits, walked a season-high-tying four and struck out two. He threw 76 pitches, 49 for strikes.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
Boone said conversations had begun in the fourth inning about pulling the veteran starter simply because it was obvious Sabathia was without his best tools. He entered for the fifth anyway and rounded out his day on a high note with a seven-pitch frame. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
"I was just trying to battle. That's a good lineup," Sabathia said. "I was just trying to make pitches and try and get us back in the dugout to score some runs." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
Tampa Bay took the lead for good on consecutive two-out singles in the sixth off reliever Jonathan Holder. Yandy Diaz, who homered in the third, hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the final margin. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays
With the loss New York drops to 23-16 and is 1.5 games back in the division. New York and Tampa Bay will return to the diamond at Tropicana Field on Sunday afternoon for the finale where New York will look to bounce back and win the series while Tampa will also look to win the series. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-miss-chance-to-leap-rays