New York Yankees Recap: Tanaka pitches a beauty, Yankees take the Rays at the Stadium, but drama at the end (video)

Feb 24, 2019; Port Charlotte, FL, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Estevan Florial (92) steals second base as Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Emilio Bonifacio (64) attempted to tag him out during the second inning at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees broke their losing streak against the Rays, at the Stadium, but not without some spicy drama at the end.  The Yankees won the game 5-3, but the animosity between these two teams continues, when the Yankees meet up one last time for the season on Wednesday night there may be fireworks. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Mike Brosseau stepped to the plate, and Yankee closer, Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball that appeared to be thrown at Brosseau’s helmet.  That caused the umpires to have a meeting, and both sides were warned.  Brosseau struck out and the Yankees won.  But as the Yankees left the field, both dugouts took to the field, which looked as though a brawl would ensue, there was a shouting match, but nothing materialized.  The tension between these two clubs, the last few years has been building. More on this later.

Masahiro Tanaka pitched a beautiful game for six innings, and with a season-high 88 pitches.  He gave up two earned runs, with seven strikeouts.  The game started off with DJ LeMahieu hitting his third homer of the year. LeMahieu homered twice and Urshela bolted for a mad dash around the basepaths in the sixth inning, punctuating a 360-foot trip around the diamond with a terrific slide. as the Yankees surged to a 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay Rays last night at the stadium in the Bronx.

With two on in the fifth, Gio Urshela stepped in against right-hander Ryan Thompson and drilled a liner toward the gap in right-center field, eluding a diving attempt from Kiermaier. Kiermaier slammed to the ground, allowing Luke Voit and Clint Frazier to score easily.  When the throw finally came to the plate, it was overthrown, and Urshela from third raced home for a score that was challenged by the Rays, but was upheld by New York, and the Yankees scored three in the inning.

The Tampa Bay Rays scored an additional run in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough, as the Yankees won 5-3, and broke a six-game losing streak. The winning pitcher was Masahiro Tanaka 1-1, and the loser was Brian Thompson, with the save was Aroldis Chapman, for his first save of the season.

After the game, both pitchers were interviewed, Yankee manager Aaron Boone downplayed the ball that was thrown at Brosseau, but when Rays manager Kevin Cash took to the mic, he was aggressively upset. He, in the moment of anger, suggested that the Yankees coaching staff was responsible for Chapman aiming at Brosseau’s head, an added that he had a bullpen full of pitchers that throw 98 mph.  That appeared to suggest that Ray’s pitchers would take revenge on the Yankee hitters in Wednesday night’s game.  For those that did not see the errant pitch, it should be mentioned that Brosseau was not hit by the ball.

“I can assure you, other than three years ago, there hasn’t been one pitch thrown with intent from any of our guys. Somebody has to be accountable and the last thing I’ll say is I have a whole damn stable full of guys that throw 98 mph.” Cash uttered.

With the bad blood continually building, tomorrow night should be a very interesting game, when the New York Yankee’s Jordan Montgomery faces the Ray’s, Charlie Morton, in the series finale, it will also be the last time the Yankees and Rays will meet in the regular season.

Notes:  Yankee Clint Frazier made an amazing full body dive, to make what is probably the best defensive play of his career. DJ LeMahieu hit two homers in the game and Gio Urshela added on to this homer total.