Field Level Media
Jul 6, 2019
Travis d'Arnaud hit a game-winning homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays overcame blowing a late lead and edged the New York Yankees 4-3 in St. Petersburg, Fla. on Saturday.
The Rays were one strike away from getting the win in the top of the inning, but left-hander Colin Poche allowed a game-tying homer to Aaron Hicks.
After Chad Green (2-3) easily got the first two outs in the bottom of the frame, d'Arnaud won it by lining a first-pitch fastball just over the right field fence.
D'Arnaud's sixth homer with the Rays ended Tampa Bay's six-game losing streak to the Yankees. It also gave the Rays only their third win in 12 meetings against New York this season.
Poche (2-1) blew his first career save attempt but kept the game tied by striking out Gary Sanchez.
The Rays took a 3-2 lead with two outs in the seventh on a two-run homer by Nate Lowe off CC Sabathia. After Lowe's second career homer, Oliver Drake pitched a scoreless eighth and easily retired DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge to open the ninth.
The Yankees took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single by Hicks with two outs in the seventh off Jose Alvarado.
Alvarado exited with a strained right oblique after throwing a 1-0 pitch to Sanchez, and Jake Faria finished the inning by retiring Edwin Encarnacion with the bases loaded.
D'Arnaud also hit an RBI single in the second that tied the game at 1-1 for the Rays, who trail New York by 7 1/2 games in the AL East
Brett Gardner homered in the second off Blake Snell and stole two bases for the Yankees, who were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and lost for the third time in their last 19 games.
Sabathia allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings. The veteran left-hander struck out five, walked two and completed seven innings for the first time since June 29, 2018 against Boston.
Snell allowed one run on five hits in five innings. He struck out five, walked two and ended his fourth start of the season against New York by retiring Hicks with the bases loaded.
--Field Level Media