ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. The Yankees stood at the third baseline and watched the Rays unveil their AL Eastern and American league title banners before Friday’s game, but Aaron Hicks said as far as the Yankees were concerned, last year was in the past.
“This is something we want to do,” Hicks said. “They won last year. This is a new year. We expect to go there and dominate. ”
The plan started badly as the Yankees faced Tampa Bay for the first time this season and stifled a 10-5 loss at Tropicana Field to a six-game Florida game against two rivals, the Rays and Blue Jays moved.
Corey Kluber was knocked down – the victim of a weak field defense – and the Yankees offense was quiet outside of a quick, four-run outburst in the third.
Kluber, in his second start with the Yankees, after missing most of the past two seasons, gave up some undeserved runs in the second innings and three earnings in the third innings.
With Gio Urshela following a reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, DJ LeMahieu was forced to play third, with Tyler Wade in second place. Both players had a rough second innings. LeMahieu made a throwing error on a Yandy Diaz ground holder with one out and Wade had a Joey Wendle ball come at him for a single. That sent Diaz to third place and he hit a double point from the wall of Willy Adames in the right, just over a jumping Clint Frazier glove. Brett Phillips follows with a sacrificial fly to the center to score Wendle and make it 2-0.
LeMahieu managed to grab Mike Zunino’s high pop, near the hill, to end the innings.
The Yankees drew the game in the third game.
After Rays starter Rich Hill retired the first eight Yankees he faced, Wade reached a two-stroke single. Wade would have easily passed on LeMahieu’s doubling to center, but had to stay in third place as he jumped over the midfield wall. Giancarlo Stanton follows with a single through the shift on the right side of the interior, driving both runners in.
They took the lead one time later when Hicks struck out with 1-2 points in the seats left for his first home game of the season, while the Yankees continued. 4-2.
It did not last long, as Kluber faltered at the bottom of the innings.
Reached the first three batsmen, with Randy Arozarena’s single cut to the right in a run. Kluber knocked out Brandon Lowe, but Diaz walked in and his day was over to 62 spots.
Nick Nelson came in and immediately ceded a two-game double to Wendle as the Rays dropped 5-4.
The Rays pile up in the fourth game against Nelson, leaving the dogs with no one out. He knocked out Arozarena, but Lowe cleared the base with a double to the left midfield, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 8-4. Diaz follows with a single to score Lowe.
Lucas Luetge kept three innings of relief and saved at least some of the Yankees’ bullpen.
While the Rays continued to fill their lead, the Yankees offense disappeared. After Hicks’ homer, Hill retired the last ten batsmen he faced, giving only the four straight hits in fourth place.
It continued a series of successes for the rays across the Yankees. Tampa Bay won eight of the ten games in the regular season and knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs in five games in the ALDS.