Yankees takeaways from Saturday's 3-2 win over Rays, including eighth-inning comeback
The Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon, 3-2, to even up the three-game series.
Here are some takeaways...
- Domingo German got the start for New York and he was thrown into immediate danger.
After back-to-back hits to lead off the inning, the righty battled back to get the next two outs. He got two strikes on Manuel Margot, but the outfielder scorched a two-run double down the left field line to give Tampa an early lead.
German ran into more trouble in the second, as the Rays put two more runners on, but he was able to erase the threat this time. He settled in after that, retiring the Rays in order in the third and fourth.
- A leadoff double by Christian Bethancourt and a walk to Yandy Diaz to begin the fifth put German in some hot water, but he got out of it thanks to his catcher. After a force out put runners on the corners with one out, Kyle Higashioka threw out Wander Franco who was trying to steal second base for the second out of the inning before German got Randy Arozarena to fly out to end the frame.
That would be it for German who went five innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits, two walks while striking out five.
- Willie Calhoun continued his strong play of late with a single in the top of the second. He also added a walk in the seventh inning and now has a hit in four of his past five games.
- Still, with just three hits going into the eighth inning, it looked like the Yankees' offense was destined for another lackluster performance. That all changed when Anthony Rizzo hit a one-out single off Jalen Beeks that began New York's comeback.
Gleyber Torres kept the line moving against Kevin Kelly who came in for Beeks by hitting a single to right field to put runners on first and second. Next up was DJ LeMahieu with his .391 average with RISP this season and he promptly lined a double that put the Yankees on the board.
After Calhoun popped out, Harrison Bader was the hero by plating two runs with a single that gave New York its first lead of the series at 3-2.
- Clay Holmes pitched the bottom of the eighth and worked around a leadoff single, inducing a double play and a line out to end the inning and hold the Yankees' lead before Ian Hamilton notched his first career save in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Highlights
What's next
The Yankees and Rays play the third game of this weekend set on Sunday afternoon at 1:40 p.m. at Tropicana Field.
Tampa is yet to announce a starting pitcher, but ace Gerrit Cole (5-0, 1.35 ERA) will take the mound for New York.
