Tanaka throws 3-hitter as Yankees blank Rays, 4-0
Masahiro Tanaka pitched a three-hitter as the New York Yankees recorded a 4-0 victory over the host Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.
Tanaka (8-2) turned in his best outing of the season despite returning from a hamstring injury just two weeks ago. He improved to 6-0 in his last 12 starts.
The right-hander retired the first 12 hitters on 42 pitches before C.J. Cron singled up the middle on his 45th pitch of the game. Tanaka also allowed a one-out single to Jesus Sucre in the sixth and a two-out double to Cron in the seventh.
Tanaka recorded his sixth career complete game and third career shutout. It was his first complete-game shutout since April 27, 2017, when he bested Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Tanaka struck out nine, walked one, faced two above the minimum and threw 74 of 105 pitches for strikes.
Tanaka regrouped after the first two hits by getting double plays. He avoided damage in the seventh by retiring Ji-Man Choi on a groundout to first.
Tanaka's outing helped the Yankees halt a five-game losing streak to the Rays and capped a busy day for New York.
Before the game, the Yankees placed Gary Sanchez on the disabled list with a groin strain after he did not appear to hustle down the first base line for the final out of Monday's 7-6 loss. During Tuesday's contest, the Yankees lost Brandon Drury to a contusion on his left hand after the second baseman was hit by a pitch.
New York also was closing in on acquiring left-handed reliever Zach Britton from the Baltimore Orioles for three prospects.
The Yankees scored their first three runs on outs, getting an RBI groundout by Didi Gregorius in the first and two RBIs by Austin Romine. Romine had an RBI groundout in the fifth and lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Neil Walker added insurance with a ninth-inning RBI single.
Tampa Bay's Yonny Chirinos (0-2) allowed three runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Chirinos made his first start for Tampa Bay since April 28 at Boston.
He was on the disabled list until June 4 with a forearm strain and spent the last month and a half pitching for Triple-A Durham before returning Tuesday.
--Field Level Media
