headtopics
After winning the series opener, the Tampa Bay Rays aimed to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series on Monday night. The New York Yankees, however, hurt their own cause with sloppy defense early on.
In the first inning, a fielding error at third base allowed Yandy Diaz to reach base. Cam Schlittler then gave up a single to Jonathan Aranda, putting runners on first and second. A fielder's choice resulted in one out, but Jazz Chisholm's errant throw on a double-play attempt let Diaz score, giving Tampa Bay a 1-0 advantage. Despite another error on catcher's interference, the Yankees limited the damage to just one run.
Freddy Peralta cruised through the first three innings before Ben Rice tied the game with a solo home run in the fourth. In the fifth, the Yankees threatened with two runners on and left-handed sluggers due up. The Rays pulled their starter and brought in Cam Booser, who walked Rice to load the bases. However, Booser escaped the jam by inducing a long flyout to deep center field.
Tampa Bay regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back hits by Aranda and Junior Caminero put runners on second and third. Liam Hicks grounded out slowly, scoring Aranda, and Chandler Simpson followed with a slow grounder that plated Caminero. Schlittler was then removed, having struggled, though his defense didn't help. George Lombard committed the Yankees' fourth error of the game in the fifth, and Richie Palacios delivered a key at-bat, battling Brent Headrick before singling in two more runs to make it 5-1.
In the eighth, Rice hit his second home run of the game to cut the deficit to 5-2. Bryan Baker closed it out in the ninth for the Rays. The series now shifts to Yankee Stadium for Game 3, with Nick Martinez starting for Tampa Bay against Max Fried for New York.
Originally reported by headtopics.