The New York Yankees entered today’s matinee hoping for a win to secure home-field advantage in the wild card game. The Yankees lost a squeaker last night in the ninth inning when the Rays outscored them 3-2 in a hard-fought match. Today the Yankees sent Jordan Montgomery to the mound to face a Ray’s newbie in 22-year-old Shane Baz. Baz was called up on September 20th and had won both of his games. The Yankees were totally embarrassed by the Rays in a 12-2 loss when anything that could go wrong for the Yankees, did go wrong.
At the top of the first inning, “Monty” faced Randy Arozarena, who walked. Wander Franco singled to left, moving Arozarena to second. Nelson Cruz popped out to a rushing Aaron Judge. Yandy Diaz flew out to a diving Joey Gallo. Brandon Lowe homered into the short porch for a three-run long ball. Mike Zunino struck out to end the half. At the bottom, Gleyber Torres led off for the Yankees against the 22-year-old Shane Baz in his 3rd major league game and struck out on eleven pitches. Anthony Rizzo had a solo blast to right to shorten the Rays lead. Aaron Judge walked. Giancarlo Stanton popped out to short. Joey Gallo struck out to end the inning. Tampa 3 New York 1.
The second inning was led off by Manuel Margot, who ground out to Gallo in left. Austin Meadows followed with another flyout to Gallo. Francisco Mejia playing first base for the first time today walked. Arozarena struck out. Gio Urshela led off the bottom of the second by grounding out to short. Brett Gardner tapped out slowly to second. Gary Sanchez struck out to end the inning. Rays 3 Yankees 1.
Wander Franco led off the third inning by singled in front of Joey Gallo in left. Cruz went down swinging on a Montgomery curveball. Diaz walked. Lowe that homered in the first inning, homered again to extend the Rays lead to five. Zunino homered to left. Margot doubled. The impatient Yankee boo birds came out in full force, loudly booing Montgomery. Meadows flew out to Gardner, and that was the day as Montgomery was booed off the field. Mejia faced the new Yankee pitcher Lucas Luetge and struck out to finally end the half.
At the bottom, Andrew Velazquez, being called up last night, went down looking. Torres ground out to short. Rizzo walked. Judge faced the new Rays pitcher J.P. Feyereisen and gave it a ride, but Arozarena jumped and prevented it from leaving the park. Tampa Bay Rays 7 New York Yankees 1.
Randy Arozarena doubled to lead off the fourth. Franco lined out. Cruz singled. Diaz hit into a double play to end the half. At the bottom, Stanton struck out swinging. Gallo singled to left. Urshela got a long one that rattled around the right-field corner as Ushela tripled and Gallo scored. Gardner popped out to the infield. Sanchez popped out to third. Rays 7 Yankees 2.
Brandon Lowe, who had homered twice, faced Luetge and went down on strikes. Zunino struck out looking. Margot flew out to a running Gardner in center to end the half. At the bottom, Andrew Velaquez led off by giving one a ride that was caught at the wall by Margot. Torres went down swinging. Rizzo singled beyond first. Judge ground out to third. Rays 7 Yankees 2.
The sixth inning was led off by Austin Meadows, who struck out swinging. Mejia flew out to Gardner. Arozarena singled up the middle and stole second. He then stole third. Franco singled driving in Arozarena. Nelson Cruz faced the new Yankee pitcher Michael King and, with one on and two outs, reached on a booted ball by Torres, with Franco advancing to second. Diaz struck out swinging, but the Rays picked up another run. At the bottom, Stanton struck out swinging. Gallo ground out to first. Urshela struck out on a foul tip. Rays 8 Yankees 2
Brandon Lowe led off the seventh inning with his third home run of the game. Zunino singled. Margot singled. Meadows faced the new Yankee pitcher Joely Rodriguez with two on and no outs and got a three-run homer to the right-field stands. Mejia singled. Arozarena singled. Franco hit into a double play. Cruz, with a runner on third and two outs, struck out to end the half. At the bottom, Gardner flew out to center. Sanchez walked. Velazquez foul tipped. Torres missed a single when the ball got away by only jogging to first. Rays 12 Yankees 2.
Diaz led off the eighth inning lined out to Gardner. Lowe, who had three home runs in the game, ground out. Zunino picked up a third hit on a slow roller to third. Margot ground out to end the half. Anthony Rizzo led off the bottom by flying out to the warning track in right-center. Judge singled to center. Stanton struck out. Gallo struck out. Rays 12 Yankees 2.
Austin Meadows led off the ninth inning by striking out. Mejia singled. Arozarena hit into a double play to end the half. With last licks on the line for the New York Yankees, Gio Urshela came to bat and ground out to second. Brett Gardner hustled and reached on a passed ball. Gary Sanchez ground into a double play to end a very embarrassing game. The final score was the Tampa Bay Rays 12 and the New York Yankees 2. The winning pitcher was Luis Patino, and the loser was Jordan Montgomery.