Yankees Win Opener Over Rays 2-0 Thanks to 2 Unearned Runs
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have been on such a hot streak this season that it takes near-perfect baseball to beat them.
The Tampa Bay Rays weren't perfect Tuesday night, with a pair of unearned runs making the difference in the Yankees' 2-0 win to start a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
A terrific pitcher's duel between the Rays' Corey Kluber and New York ace Gerrit Cole turned in the fourth inning on two Tampa Bay errors and a mental mistake by Kluber.
Yankees right fielder Giancarlo Stanton drew a one-out walk, and then second baseman Gleyber Torres drifted a lazy fly ball down the right field line. Manuel Margot jogged over for what should have been an easy play, but the ball bounced off his glove.
Probably not how Manuel Margot wanted this play to go pic.twitter.com/Gd8m0UjP4o
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 15, 2022
After Matt Carpenter struck out, Yankees shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to left field and Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena came up throwing, but the ball sailed over the head of catcher Francisco Mejia, and Stanton scored. Kluber was slow to back up the play, and Torres kept running, scoring as well.
The two unearned runs were all that the Yankees got off of Kluber, who pitched six innings and allowed just four hits. He threw 93 pitches, and left for Luke Bard in the seventh.
The Rays had plenty of chances to do some damage off of Cole, a high-dollar star that they've had success off of in the past, going 7-3 against him since signing with the Yankees prior to the 2020 season. But they couldn't get a timely hit.
They got the first two runners on base in the fifth inning — an Arozarena single and Kevin Kiermaier walk — but Cole then retired Isaac Paredes, Mejia and Taylor Walls in order to get out of the jam.
Then the Rays got hurt by a poor replay review that took a potential big inning away.
In the sixth inning, Yandy Diaz led off with a single, and then Harold Ramirez hit a slow-roller to Cole, who turned and threw wildly to second, pulling Torres off the bag. Diaz was called safe, and the replays appeared to confirm the call from several angles, but the official replay said he was out.
NYY challenges the safe call at 2nd .. Diaz called out#Rays 0 #Yankees 2 T6 pic.twitter.com/2Dxv4tU8Vl
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) June 15, 2022
It cost the Rays at least one run for sure because after that, Margot singled to center and Ji-Man Choi singled as well to load the bases. Kiner-Falefa did a great job of smothering the ball and keeping it in the infield, not allowing Ramirez to score. Arozarena then chases a low-and-away breaking ball on the first pitch and grounded into a double play to end the threat.
Choi has now hit safely in 12 straight games, a career high. During the streak, he is hitting .333 with five doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs.
Cole pitched six innings and struck out seven Tampa Bay hitters. It was the first time in his last six starts against the Rays that he didn't record double-digit strikeouts.
New York's bullpen was solid, too. Wandy Peralta, Michael King and closer Clay Holmes dispatched the Rays, allowing just two hits and a walk over the final three innings. The game ended on a catch at the warning track by center fielder Aaron Judge off the bat of Mejia after Brett Phillips had a pinch-hit single with two outs.
The Yankees, who lead the American League in earned run average, recorded their 10th strikeout of the game. They are now 45-16 on the season, and have a season-high 10-game lead over the Rays (35-26) in the American League East race.
The two teams meet again on Wednesday, with Tampa Bay turning to ace Shane McClanahan. He will be opposed by Nestor Cortes.
Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.