ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Yankees were on third base and watched the Rays reveal their AL East and American League title banners before Friday’s game, but Aaron Hicks said that for the Yankees, last year was over.
“It’s something we want to do,” said Hicks. “They won last year. This is a new year. We expect to go out and dominate. “
The plan got off to a bad start, as the Yankees faced Tampa Bay for the first time this season and were choked in a 10-5 loss at Tropicana Field to begin a six-game road trip in Florida against two division rivals, the Rays and moved Blue Jays.
Corey Kluber was overthrown – the victim of a poor defense on the field – and the Yankees’ attack was silent beyond a quick burst of four runs in the third.
Kluber, in his second start with the Yankees after missing most of the past two seasons, gave up a few unearned runs in the second inning and three earned runs in the third.
With Gio Urshela out after a reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine, DJ LeMahieu was forced to play third, with Tyler Wade second. Both players had a tough second innings. LeMahieu made a throwing error on a grounder by Yandy Diaz with one out and Wade let a ball by Joey Wendle pass him for what was ruled a single. It sent Diaz to third place and he scored on a Willy Adames double off the wall to the right, just over a jumping glove from Clint Frazier. Brett Phillips followed with a sacrifice fly to the middle to score Wendle to make it 2-0.
LeMahieu managed to whip up the high pop-up of Mike Zunino, who dives close to the mound, to end the inning.
The Yankees came alongside in the third.
After Rays-starter Rich Hill retired the first eight Yankees in a row, Wade reached on a two-out infield single. Wade would have scored easily on LeMahieu’s double to center, but had to stay in third place when it bounced off the center wall. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a single through the shift on the right side of the infield and drove in both runners.
They later took the lead one batter when Hicks threw an 1-2 pitch into the left seats for his first homerun of the season, as the Yankees moved forward. 4-2.
It didn’t take long, as Kluber faltered in the bottom of the inning.
The first three batters reached base, with a single by Randy Arozarena to the right that brought in a run. Kluber eliminated Brandon Lowe, but walked Diaz and his day was over after 62 pitches.
Nick Nelson came in and immediately gave up a two-run double to Wendle, as the Rays went up again, 5-4.
The Rays piled up in the fourth against Nelson, who loaded the bases with no one out. He struckout Arozarena, but Lowe cleared the bases with a double to left-center, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 8-4. Diaz followed with a single to score Lowe.
Lucas Luetge held out in relief for three innings and saved at least some of the Yankees’ bullpen.
As the Rays continued to fill their lead, the Yankees attack faded. After the homer by Hicks, Hill retired the last 10 batters he faced and gave up only four hits in a row in the fourth.
It remained a string of success for the Rays over the Yankees. Tampa Bay won eight of its 10 regular season games and then eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs in five games in the ALDS.