Yanks need extra innings to clinch victory
The Yankees needed twelve innings to seal a victory over the Rays at Yankee Stadium.
Masahiro Tanaka took the mound for the Yankees and didn’t look good in the first inning as he gave up two doubles and a walk that gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead. After the first inning he settled down as he retired the side in the second and in the third inning. Tanaka gave up two singles in the fourth, but the Rays didn’t do any damage as James Loney was caught stealing for the second out. In the fifth, Tanaka gave up a triple to Kevin Kiermaier, who scored the third run for the Rays on a sac fly hit by Rene Rivera.
The Yankees on their turn couldn’t get a grip on the pitches of Chris Archer. Only Didi Gregorius managed to hit a double in the third inning and a single in the fifth inning. After Didi Gregorius was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning, Chris Archer was replaced by Jake McGee, who made the final out by striking out Jose Pirela.
The Yankees needed the long ball to tie the game. With runners on first and second, Mark Teixeira blasted the ball over the right field fence for a three run homerun.
The Rays took a 2 run lead in the twelfth inning when Logan Forsythe and Asdrubal Cabrera scored.
With the situation looking rather gloomy, the Yankees started their twelfth at bat with a lead off walkt by Brett Gardner.
Alex Rodriguez singled to advance the speedy Gardner to third. A-Rod was replaced by pinch-runner Gregorio Petit. When Mark Teixeira hit a line drive to right field, Brett Gardner scored to bring the Yankees within one run from the Rays. With a 1-0 count, Steve Geltz serverd up the pitch that was hit away for a three run, walk-off homerun by Brian McCann.
This game was the second consecutive multiple hit game for Didi Gregorius, who went 2 for 3 with a double, a single, a strike out and a walk.
With four RBI on two hits, Mark Teixeira had the most impact for the Yankees.
Masahiro Tanaka lasted six innings in which he gave up three runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Chasen Shreve eventually earned he win, his sixth of he season. In only 0.2 innings he surendered on run on two hits and he walked two.
In general it was a good night for the Yankees, as they defeated their division rival and the other teams in the AL East lost as well.