New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats On Jul 04, 2019

DJ LeMahieu continued his uncanny success with the bases loaded Thursday night, when he laced a tiebreaking, two-run single through a drawn-in infield in the 10th inning to lift the New York Yankees to an 8-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Yankees, who blew a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, have won 15 of their past 17 games, a stretch in which they've gone 4-0 against the second-place Rays to open a 7 1/2-game lead in the American League East.

Tampa Bay has lost two straight following a four-game winning streak.

Gio Urshela and Aaron Judge opened the 10th inning by drawing walks against Oliver Drake (0-1). A bunt single by Brett Gardner loaded the bases and set the stage for LeMahieu, who is 9-for-11 with 20 RBIs in 13 plate appearances this season with the bases loaded.

Gary Sanchez put the game away one out later with a majestic three-run homer to deep left field.

The Rays actually sent the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 10th, when Travis d'Arnaud had an RBI single, but David Hale earned his second save by getting Yandy Diaz to hit into a fielder's choice for the final out.

Aroldis Chapman (2-1) earned the win despite squandering the lead in the ninth inning.

J.A. Happ allowed only one run -- on an RBI double in the first by Avisail Garcia -- on three hits and three walks while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings. He was in line for the win before the Rays stormed back against Chapman.

Nate Lowe led off the ninth by drawing a walk, and he raced home on a one-out double by Joey Wendle. D'Arnaud flied out, but with Guillermo Heredia at the plate, Wendle took third and scored on two wild pitches by Chapman.

Heredia and Diaz singled before Tommy Pham loaded the bases by drawing a four-pitch walk. Chapman finally got out of the jam by striking out Austin Meadows.

The Yankees took the lead against Rays starter Yonny Chirinos in the third, when Mike Tauchman (RBI single with no outs) and Aaron Hicks (RBI double with two outs) had run-scoring hits.

Edwin Encarnacion homered in the seventh to extend the Yankees' lead to 3-1.

Chirinos allowed the three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out five over seven innings.

--Field Level Media