Yankees 5, Rays 3: Juan big hit is all it takes
20/04/2024 04:21
A solid Clarke Schmidt start and some timely hitting netted the Yanks a win in the series opener.
Just as we all expected, Friday night at Yankee Stadium featured the Clarke Schmidt/Tyler Alexander pitching masterclass that was promised. The two back-end starters kept this a low-scoring affair for much of the evening in the Bronx, but the Yankees ultimately pulled it out in the end. It wasn't pretty, but as they say, good pitching and three-run homers...
With Schmidt making his fourth start of the year, he delivered some of his best stuff against the pesky Rays. In the top of the first, he allowed a pair of baserunners, but quickly ended the inning on a double-play ball thanks to Isaac Paredes. Alexander on the other side had just as solid a start, where he worked around a walk to Aaron Judge.
Schmidt began to find his footing in the second. He did allow a pair of singles to Amed Rosario and Harold Ramírez, but subsequently struck out each of Tampa Bay's 7-8-9 hitters to escape untouched. The Yanks would have another batter reach, but couldn't make anything of it, as Alexander appeared to be feeling just as good.
Schmidt notched another pair of strikeouts in his spotless third inning, and like clockwork, Alexander navigated the inning as well, erasing a single from Oswaldo Cabrera. Schmidt certainly labored a bit in this one, tossing 93 pitches through his first five innings, but he did the job and kept the Rays off the board in each frame. It would have looked even better, had Alexander not matched him every step of the way.
Schmidt got the thumbs-up to head to the mound for the sixth, where this game saw its first run. Leading off for the Rays, Richie Palacios deposited a ball into the right-field seats for his second homer of the year, giving Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.
Schmidt retired one more batter, allowed another single to Ramírez, and his day was done. The right-hander tossed 5.1 innings, striking out seven and allowing just the one run. Dennis Santana was able to escape the rest of the inning in relief, securing Schmidt's ultimately commendable final line.
Alexander was also done after 5.1, but with his help, the Rays kept New York off the scoreboard through six. Shawn Armstrong completed that final frame, and he gave way to Chris Devenski after the seventh-inning stretch..
Alexander was evidently the Yankees' kryptonite. They didn't bother chipping away and elected to kick the door in instead, with some help from the Rays' defense. Alex Verdugo reached with one out via error by Curtis Mead at second to start things off. Jose Trevino followed with a walk, and Cabrera then yanked a ball to Yandy Díaz, who let it the somewhat-odd hop skip by, and gave the Bombers their first run to tie things up.
Anthony Volpe subsequently gave New York the lead with a looping single, before the door-kicking portion of the inning. With one out and a pair of runners on, Juan Soto stepped up and blew the roof off the Stadium.
In just one inning of work, the Yankees were now up, 5-1. It continues to be an absolute thrill to watch Soto play baseball in the Bronx.
But, as usual, the Rays weren't going without a fight. Ian Hamilton came on to work the eighth, and after a walk to Randy Arozarena and a double to the streaking Palacios, Paredes scored 'em both with a line drive single into center field. The Rays continued to pound the ball in the inning, but Hamilton was able to escape without any further damage.
Clay Holmes got the save opportunity for the New York, and it was an immediate sweat for him and the Yanks. Old (imaginary) friend Ben Rortvedt led off with a single the other way, and Díaz mirrored it with a single of his own, putting the tying run on base.
Arozarena got the first crack at the opportunity, and popped a ball into no man's land past second base. It fell just short of Judge's dive from center, but in an absolute mess of a play, with some infield fly confusion, they were at least able to get the force out at third base. Palacios got the next chance, and despite continuing to see the ball well, he hit a sinking line drive to Volpe at short, which he caught and quickly doubled up Jose Siri at second base, abruptly putting an end to this ballgame.
Clarke Schmidt looked good, continuing his improved strikeout run and keeping the Rays at bay. And while the lineup mustered just five hits to the Rays' 14 — including another miserable 0-for-4 day from Gleyber Torres — Juan Soto is good! And we're glad he's a New York Yankee.
The Yankees will be back at it tomorrow afternoon, when the team will also celebrate the retirement of iconic radio voice John Sterling. First pitch for Nestor Cortes vs. Zach Eflin will be at 1:05pm ET, but the ceremony for Sterling is said to begin at half past noon, so you won't want to miss that. If the Roll Call tonight was any indication, the Bleacher Creatures will be ready.
