A season-best seven-game winning streak ended this afternoon with the Rays’ 4-2 win at Yankee Stadium, though it wasn’t viewed as an abrupt barrier to the club’s soaring momentum. But they prevented a four-game sweep behind Andriese (7-7) and Whitley, who tossed two innings of relief in his Tampa Bay debut.
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The Yankees (76-66) came into the game trailing the AL East-leading Red Sox by three games and were, along with the Tigers, one game behind the Orioles for the second wild card.
If Mike Francesa was calling the shots, John Sterling’s home run call for Gary Sanchez would’ve been retired the minute the pinstriped rookie launched his first long ball.
The game was a pitchers’ duel until Jacoby Ellsbury snapped a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the sixth inning off Chris Archer, which was perhaps the least shocking hit in the game.
All of that can be nicely filed away now as he delivered five strong innings allowing one earned run on six hits striking out two and walking none.
Kevin Kiermaier and Steven Souza both went deep twice for the Rays, becoming the first set of outfielders homer twice in a game against the Yankees since the Braves’ Andruw Jones and Ryan Klesko on July 16, 1999.
“He’s been really effective, so he should be gaining confidence”, manager Joe Girardi said.
Corey Dickerson gave the Rays an early 2-0 lead belting his 19th homer in the top of the second.
After Whitley finished his return, Brad Boxberger pitched a hitless eighth and Alex Colome fanned two in the ninth for his 32nd save.
Prior to today, the right-handed Andriese had gone 0-7 with a 6.11 ERA in 15 appearances, including eight starts.
Rookie right-hander Luis Cessa (4-1) gave up all three Rays homers in 5 2/3 innings. “Felt it pop on that one swing”, he said. Morrison returned from a strained right forearm on August 15. Unfortunately for Romero, the very first pitch, or in this case lob, dropped right into Sanchez’s hitting zone.
The Yankees’ seven-game winning streak was the ideal combination of fun, unexpectedness, and thrills. He was the DH on Friday and played first base Saturday. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays designated RHP Tyler Sturdevant for assignment.
That was the Yankees’ last chance, as they never really threatened again.
Dodger days: The Dodgers and Yankees have met in the World Series a record 11 times, but Monday night will mark just their second interleague series in the Bronx. After their roll call of Yankees starters, the Bleacher Creatures briefly chanted “USA!”
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With the Yankees down to their last strike before extras, Austin crushed a 3-2 fastball into the right-field seats, etching his name on several pages in the franchise record books with that game-winning blast. They are 9-7 against the Blue Jays overall and need one win to clinch the season series for the eighth time in nine years.
