The American League Divisional Series is all tied up at 1-1 following the Yankees 7-5 loss to the Rays Tuesday night.
The Rays got to Yankees starter Deivi Garcia early with a solo home run by Randy Arozarena in the first inning. Giancarlo Stanton answered with his fourth homer of the post-season to tie the game in the top of the 2nd.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone then made a head-scratching decision. He pulled Garcia in favor of left hander J.A. Happ after just one inning. Happ proceeded to give up a two-run home run to Rays’ catcher Mike Zunino. Tampa would add two more runs in the bottom of the third thanks to a Manuel Margot home run. The Rays led 5-1 after just three innings.
However, the Yankees fought back in the top of the fourth. With two on and nobody out, Stanton hit his fifth homer of the playoffs to cut the Rays’ lead to just one.
Jonathan Loaisigia replaced Happ in the fifth and gave up an RBI single to Kevin Kiermaier. The Rays also added a run against Loaisiga in the sixth on an Austin Meadows solo homer.
The Yankees had two on and no outs in both the seventh and ninth innings, but only managed to score one run on a DJ LeMahieu single. New York struck out a playoff record high 18 times against the Rays’ pitchers.
A crucial game three will be tonight (Wednesday) at 7 p.m. The Rays will send Charlie Morton to the mound against the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka.
(Photo: ESPN.com)
