Yankees lose to Rays, fans throw balls and objects on the field

The Yankees decided to put in an opener against the Rays on Friday night, but unlike when they used an opener and were defeated in Game 2 of the ALDS last October, this loss is mostly attributed to their weak offense and some shoddy defense in an all-in-game. around a disastrous night in The Bronx.

Yes, reliever Nick Nelson coughed up two runs in the first inning, but the Yankees’ surprisingly low-octane lineup was again smothered in a deservedly boo-filled 8-2 loss against Tampa Bay at the stadium for a difficult start from a five-game home standard.

The ugly game was delayed for several minutes in the bottom of the eighth, when several fans threw baseballs and other objects onto the field among the angry announced crowd of 10,202.

Reliever Michael King has demanded the 31st hit-by-pitch from a Tampa Bay player by a Yankees pitcher since 2018, but the Rays only retaliated with their 14th win in 19 games (including playoffs) against the Bombers since early 2020 Game 2 of last years ALDS, in which the Yankees pitched rookie Deivi Garcia as a one-inning opener before turning to veteran JA Happ in what turned out to be a 7-5 loss.

Former Mets-right Michael Wacha limited the Yankees (5-8) to one hit in six scoreless innings, before Giancarlo Stanton’s two-run homer off Trevor Richards avoided its second shutout-loss of the season in the seventh. 29-year old Wacha, who walked two and struckout nine batters, last year pitched with the Mets on a 6.62 ERA in eight games (seven starts).

Aaron Boone’s team also committed three errors in the game, two of which led to three unearned runs in the four-run fifth inning by the Rays, which extended Tampa Bay’s lead to 6-0.

The Yankees now hit only .222 for the season, with 14 homers through their first 13 games. Boone benched first baseman Jay Bruce (1-for-19) on Friday and dropped regular number 3 batter Aaron Hicks (.167) to sixth place for the first time this season.

Yankees
Yankees fans started throwing balls on the field in the eighth inning of their defeat to the Rays on Friday.
NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg

The Yankees also chose to start Nelson as the opener, bringing King back from the alternate location to go to work after him. Nelson, who had pitched for a 9.00 ERA over three relief appearances earlier this season, went 2-0 behind three batters after Austin Meadows walked, Randy Arozarena doubled and Brandon Lowe hit a two-run double .

King had not pitched since he had thrown six scoreless innings of relief and gave up only one hit, on April 4 against the Blue Jays. The right-wing was given an option two days later to create a roster spot for Rougned Odor, but King was recalled on Friday to replace relegated Albert Abreu on the 26-man roster.

King worked in and out of problems in two of his three scoreless innings to keep the Yankees within two runs. He escaped a first-and-third interference with no outs in the third and struckout two batters. King also walked three consecutive batters, trailing two in the fourth, then disposal hitter Yandy Diaz grounded out.

Luis Cessa replaced King in the fifth and the Rays quickly expanded their lead to three on Mike Brosseau’s RBI double in third base. Gio Urshela started Willy Adames’ grounder to third base to score another run before Cessa reloaded the bases with two walks.

Second baseman Odor’s second error of the game – a wild throw by LeMahieu initially on what should have been an inning-ending double play – put the Yankees in a 6-0 hole. The Rays added two runs on Mike Zunino’s double against Lucas Luetge in the sixth.

Stanton finally set for a rare positive moment when he followed Glebyer Torres’ first basehit against Richards in the seventh by hitting a 3-1 pitch straight into the seats for his second homer of the season.

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