Matt Moore’s best game all season led the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees. The Yankees got killed by the shift today, as when they had good chances they hit right into the teeth of the shift. The winning pitcher for the Rays was Xavier Cedeño who improves to 4-1 on the season. The losing pitcher for the Yankees in only his 3rd loss of the season was Nathan Eovaldi who falls to 14-3.
In this game Nathan Eovaldi went 5.1 innings with 3 ER and a season high 4 walks. He also struck out 7 Rays in the process. Matt Moore went 4.2 innings giving up 2 earned runs and striking out 4 Yankees in the process.
The Rays got on the board first when Kevin Kiermaier singled home Logan Forsythe in the 2nd to make it a 1-0 game. The Rays added another one in the top of the 3rd when Asdrubal Cabrera singled home Daniel Nava to double the Tampa lead 2-0. The Yankees would put one up in their score column when Didi Gregorius doubled off of Matt Moore scoring John Ryan Murphy to make it a 2-1 game. Two batters later Brett Gardner hit into a fielder’s choice scoring Gregorius. That would be as close as the Yankees would get in this game.
In the bottom of the 8th the Yankees worked the bases loaded with 2 outs before Didi Gregorius hit a bullet right at 2nd basemen Logan Forsthye to end the Yankees comeback attempt. Gregorius didn’t even leave the box by the time the ball got to Forsthye, and he threw his bat in frustration after the catch. That was the 2nd time this week that Gregorius ended a Yankees bases loaded comeback attempt, as he ended last Monday’s game in Boston with a fly out to deep right field.
Jacoby Ellsbury had two at bats in this game after leaving the game yesterday, which was originally listed as an upset stomach but changed to flu like symptoms. In his first at bat he struck out. In his 2nd at bat he flew out to left field to end the game. According to Joe Girardi he is still not feeling well.
The Toronto Blue Jays also played an afternoon game today and they took down the Baltimore Orioles 5-1 powered by former Tampa Bay Ray David Price’s 100th career win. With the win the Jays pull back to 1.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the AL East.
The Yankees and Rays end their series tomorrow at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are sending Ivan Nova who is 5-7 with a 4.50 ERA to the hill trying to win the series. The Rays are trying to take two in a row over the Yankees with the Yankee killer Chris Archer who is 12-10 this season with a 2.78 ERA. In 8 career appearances against the Yankees, Archer is 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA, including his first career win.
