New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats On Aug 07, 2020

Pinch hitter Michael Perez's sacrifice fly drove in the game's only run, and six Tampa Bay pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout in the Rays' 1-0 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.

With the game scoreless in the eighth inning, Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino (2-1) issued two walks to put runners on first and second with one out, then uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runners.

After dropping in the batter's box when he painfully fouled a ball off his left knee, Perez dusted himself off and hit a one-out fly to center field to easily score Yoshi Tsutsugo.

Chaz Roe (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings as Tampa Bay claimed the first game of the four-game series between the American League East rivals.

The Yankees entered the first meeting against the Rays having homered in all 12 games -- tied for the fifth-longest streak to start a season in major league history -- but saw the streak come to an end in an anemic offensive performance.

Tampa Bay starter Blake Snell was expected to increase his workload by toiling deeper into the game, but the left-hander departed after a three-inning outing that featured just 59 pitches. He did not allow a hit while walking two and striking out five.

Kevin Kiermaier doubled and Yandy Diaz singled for the Rays' only hits.

Making his second start this season after getting hit in the head by a line drive in summer camp, Masahiro Tanaka was outstanding in a five-inning stint. The right-hander did not walk a batter and fanned five while giving up no runs and one hit.

DJ LeMahieu and Mike Tauchman had the two New York hits.

The opposing starting pitchers were sharp through the first third of the game -- each working scoreless innings and only Tanaka allowing a hit, a two-out single to Diaz in the first.

Rays right fielder Austin Meadows helped keep it scoreless by making a slick catch and pop-up slide near the foul line with runners on first and second and no outs in the seventh, holding the go-ahead runner at second.

Tampa Bay reliever Nick Anderson came in and got a flyout but issued the inning's third walk (his first) to fill the bases, but he shut down the inning by whiffing Gary Sanchez on a 95 mph fastball.

--Field Level Media