Yankees fall to defeat as league leading Tampa Bay Rays become first team to open 30-9 since 2001

Drew Rasmussen (4-2) extended his scoreless streak against the New York Yankees to 21 innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays became the first team to open 30-9 since the 2001 Seattle Mariners.

The Rays won three of four against the Yankees in the space of seven days, opening a nine-game AL East lead. And even the strictest skeptics are now beginning to realize that the Rays are real.

“There’s no reason for people not to think so. We’re capable of this as we’ve shown,” Josh Lowe said after homering with a career-high five RBIs Thursday night in an 8-2 loss to the Yankees.

Tampa Bay has scored the most points (239) in the major leagues and allowed the fewest points (118).

“It’s really cool to see what we were able to do in the first month and a half,” said Rasmussen. “It’s nice to create some space if we can, but I don’t think they’ll be buried.”

In the opener of a four-game series, Lowe hit a three-run double off Ron Marinaccio’s second straight substitution to open a 4-0 lead in the sixth and added a two-run homer off Ryan Weber’s substitution at the first pitch in a three-game series. -walk eighth.

The 145-yard drive over the Yankees bullpen at right center was Lowe’s eighth home run this season.

Lowe has eight home runs, 25 RBIs and a .314 average after starting the season with 13 RBIs in 52 big league games.

“He learned a lot by maybe not performing the way he could,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “It’s tough, and he lived it long last year.”

Rasmussen (4-2) gave up two hits in seven scoreless innings without a walk and seven strikeouts, including Aaron Judge three times. Used as a reliever by Milwaukee, Rasmussen was turned into a starter after the Rays acquired him in May 2021, displaying a series of fastballs, curveballs, sinkers, cutters and sweepers against the Yankees.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said of the Rays’ lesson. “The most important thing they did was show me how many times I’ve been the victim of balls in the middle, which is surprisingly few. Hitting is very, very hard, so if you keep attacking the strike zone, you have a good chance of success.”

Jake Diekman, signed this week after his release from the Chicago White Sox, threw a hitless eighth in his Rays debut. Javy Guerra gave up a two-run single to Gleyber Torres with two outs in the ninth to end a four-hitter.

Domingo German (2-3) fell behind in the fifth when first baseman Anthony Rizzo let Lowe’s grounder bounce off his glove on an error and Yandy Díaz hit a two-out RBI double.

After going 1 for 20 with runners in scoring position while losing two of three in Baltimore, the Rays were 0 for 4 with RISP before Lowe’s two-out double off the base of the wall at center right.

German gave up two runs – one earned – and three hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Yankees, who defeated Oakland 28–10 in a three-game sweep, failed to score points behind Germán for his second consecutive start.

After this series, the Yankees will not play the Rays again until July 31.

“You want to try and gain some ground on them,” Judge said, “stay close.”

Aaron Judge of New York Yankees reacts after striking out in the fourth inning against Tampa Bay

RED 5, METS 0

Kevin Newman hit a two-run single in Cincinnati’s four-run first inning, and the Reds got two of three from New York.

The Mets lost for the fourth time in five games. They have dropped five series in a row for the first time since 2012.

New York right-hander Kodai Senga (4-2) gave up five runs and eight hits in five innings.

Ben Lively (1-0) threw three innings with a four-hit ball for his first win since his rookie season in 2017. Kevin Herget worked three innings for his first career save.

Mets’ Francisco Alvarez, right, is tagged out at home plate by Cincinnati catcher Curt Casali

TWINS 5, PADRES 3

Carlos Correa hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to lift Minnesota to victory.

Kyle Farmer homered as Minnesota earned its second straight win after a streak of five losses in seven games. Emilio Pagán (3-0) got three outs for the win and Jorge López threw a perfect ninth for his third save.

Correa, who returned to Minnesota upon completing a six-year, $200 million contract in January, was again booed by the home crowd after striking out two earlier in the game. But he outscored the Twins’ three-run seventh when he pulled a ground ball down the left field line against Brent Honeywell (2-2).

San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr. homered on the first pitch of the game. Rougned Odor hit his first homer of the season.

Minnesota Twins’ Carlos Correa (4) points to the team’s dugout after hitting a two-run double

ROYALS 4, WHITE SOX 3

Freddy Fermin lifted Kansas City to victory on a walk by Nick Pratto and a single by Matt Duffy on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt in the ninth inning.

The Royals took a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning, but the White Sox tied it with a two-out rally against Aroldis Chapman. Andrew Vaughn and pinch-hitter Carlos Pérez singled, and Luis Robert Jr. bounced an tying double off the left field line chalk.

In the ninth, Pratto walked Reynaldo López (0-3) before Maikel Garcia struckout. Duffy followed with a single to right, and Fermin put down a bunt just short of the plate that allowed Pratto to slide home without hitting the plate.

Scott Barlow (1-2) threw a perfect ninth for the win.

Jackie Bradley Jr. of the Royals catches a flyout for the White Sox’s Andrew Benintendi

RANGERS 4, ATHLETICS 0

Nathan Eovaldi reached a career high with 12 strikeouts and extended his scoreless streak to 28 innings as the Texas Rangers defeated the Oakland Athletics 4–0 on Thursday night upon manager Bruce Bochy’s return to Northern California.

Marcus Semien homered against his former team in front of a crowd of 2,949, the second-smallest of the season at the Oakland Coliseum.

Eovaldi (5-2) put on his third consecutive masterful performance to keep the AL West-leading Rangers rolling and send the A’s to their fifth consecutive loss.

Texas Rangers Nathan Eovaldi pitches during the seventh inning against the Oakland Athletics

GIANTS 6, DIAMOND DRUGS 2

Rookie Casey Schmitt had four more hits, including a two-run homer, and Alex Cobb blanked Arizona into the eighth inning as the San Francisco Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 6-2 on Thursday-evening.

Schmitt hit a 143-yard home run to the second deck above the Diamondbacks’ bullpen in the second inning off Tommy Henry (1-1).

Recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday, Schmitt finished 4 for 4 with a runscoring double and is 8 for 12 with two home runs and four RBI in three games.