Randy Arozarena homers and drives in 4 runs, Rays beat Yankees 7-2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Randy Arozarena homered and drove in four runs, Yandy Díaz hit a leadoff shot, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 7-2 on Saturday.
Arozarena put the Rays ahead 4-2 with a three-run homer in the third inning off Nestor Cortes (1-4). The 2023 All-Star has struggled this season — he went 2 for 3 to raise his average to just .154 — but has gone deep four times in his last eight games.
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Díaz homered on Cortes’ first pitch of the game. Díaz and Arozarena had RBI doubles in a three-run seventh.
Zack Littell (2-2) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Rays returned to .500 at 20-20.
Rays closer Pete Fairbanks returned after missing 19 games with nerve-related hand issues and struck out one in a 1-2-3 ninth.
Anthony Volpe had a two-run single in the second for the Yankees, who lost for the second time in eight games.
New York slugger Juan Soto failed to reach base for the second straight day and just the sixth time this season. He came close to putting the Yankees ahead in the seventh when his 404-foot, 107.5 mph drive with two on and two out was caught at the wall in center.
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Cortes gave up four runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Cortes and Littell were teammates at High-A and Double-A in the Yankees’ organization in 2017.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Zack Littell pitches to the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Diaz reacts after his solo home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) New York Yankees second baseman Oswaldo Cabrera tags out Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena (56) at second base after trying to advance on a fly out by Isaac Paredes during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Looking on is umpire Quinn Wolcott. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena connects for a three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, left, talks to home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Saturday, May 11, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena, right, celebrates with teammates, including Yandy Diaz, left, after hitting a three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 11, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
In Friday night’s game, 2B Brandon Lowe (right oblique strain) was removed with Triple-A Durham for precautionary reasons.
“I think what was expressed is that he wasn’t trusting it,” manager Kevin Cash said.
This is Lowe’s third straight injury-marred season since hitting 39 homers in 2021.
LHP Brendan McKay (elbow) has been placed on the 60-day injured list by Triple-A Durham. The one-time two-way player taken fourth overall in the 2017 draft has battled injuries and pitched in just 19 games since the start of the 2020 season.
Rays LHP Tyler Alexander (1-1, 4.96 ERA) will start or follow an opener.
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