Last night the New York Yankees, even with ace Gerrit Cole on the mound, couldn’t tame the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees lost the game 4-2, and Gerrit Cole was not happy about being pulled from the game. More on that later.
At the top of the first inning, Gerrit Cole took the mound and had a one, two, three inning, looking like the ace he is. Tampa Bay Ray’s Tyler Glasnow followed with a scoreless bottom of the frame. In the top of the second inning with Ji-Man Choi at the plate, Choi hit a Cole fastball far into the centerfield bleachers, for the early 1-0 Rays lead.
At the top of the third inning, Mike Zunino notched a homer of his own off Cole. Other than those two mistakes, Cole was stellar pitching 109 pitches in 6.2 innings while striking out 10, and only walking one Ray. At the bottom of the third inning, Luke Voit stepped to the plate after walking in the first inning, and Voit went the other way, well into the second deck of the right field. The solo shot made it 2-1 Rays.
Meanwhile, Cole would mow down the Rays hitters with ground outs and strikeouts. The Yankees would score again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Aaron Hicks hit a triple, followed by Gio Urshela’s sac fly driving in Hicks for the tie score in the game at two apiece. Cole started the seventh inning but with two outs and one on, manager Aaron Boone emerged from the bullpen and replaced Cole, in favor of the matchup of Zack Britton against Austin Meadows.
To say Cole was displeased would be downplaying the rage he showed pacing the dugout.
https://www.yesnetwork.com/video/gerrit-cole-breaks-down-outing-against-rays?t=yankees
As you can see and hear, Cole was still fuming after the game, when interviewed about the loss. He fielded questions very awkwardly. Great pitchers want their chance to complete games and take the win back when they are behind.
Britton got the out, but when he came out in the eighth he gave up a run before being replaced by Jonathan who gave up a run via the error. The New York Yankees at the bottom of the ninth inning had the tieing runs on the bases, but Beeks struck out Thairo Estrada for the Rays save.
Other highlights of the game. At the top of the first inning, the incredible Gio Urshela made an out by tumbling over the Rays dugout fence with no fear of giving up his body for the out. Rays players helped him back out onto the field. Urshela made another fantastic catch later in the game. Luke Voit walked twice and got his third straight home run in as many games. It should be noted that Cole has given up a homer in each of his games. The Ray’s Fairbanks got the win. Zack Britton the loss and Beeks the save.
Today the Yankees will again face the Rays in a 1:05 pm matinee game at the Stadium. James Paxton will face the Ray’s, John Curtiss.