Rays hammer Yankees, move within five games in AL East

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jeffrey Springs pitched neatly into the sixth inning, Christian Bethancourt hit two-run homer in the seventh, and the Tampa Bay Rays moved within five games of the AL East-leading New York Yankees with a 9-0 victory on Friday night.

It was the first of six games between the teams in a 10-day span as New York saw its once-commanding 15 1/2 game advantage continue to evaporate.

"“Just embarrassing when you get beat like that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got a much better standard in that room, now we’ve got to start living up to it.”

Yankees star Aaron Judge agreed.

“We're going to see what this team is made of,” Judge said. “We've got to bring it, that's it. Nobody on the outside is going is help us, nobody is feeling sorry for us."

Springs (7-4) gave up four hits and three walks, along with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. JT Chargois, Colin Poche, Jason Adam and Calvin Faucher completed the five-hitter.

“Anytime we can come out like we did tonight and start a series like that, it's good,” Springs said. “It's definitely a big momentum rolling into tomorrow.

Tampa Bay has limited the Yankees to 42 runs (32 earned) in 14 games.

When ask why the Rays have been successful, a smiling manager Kevin Cash said “I don’t know, and I wouldn’t tell you if I did."

“But look, we got good pitching, no doubt,” he added. "Our pitchers do a really good job of executing.”

The Yankees have been shut out six times over their last 25 games.

Bethancourt, on his birthday, made it 3-0 on his homer off Domingo Germán (2-3), who allowed three runs — two earned — and six hits over 6 2/3 innings.

“Not happy, not happy with myself,” Germán said through an interpreter. “I let that one guy beat me. Not to take credit from him but I think he's the worst hitter in that lineup and I let him beat me tonight.”

Yu Chang had a two-run infield single and Manuel Margot drove in two with a single during a six-run eighth against Greg Weissert and Anthony Banda. Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to infielder-outfielder Marwin Gonzalez with the bases-loaded and two out in the eighth, and he retired Harold Ramirez on comebacker off a 45-mph pitch.

New York has lost five of six, while the Rays have won four in a row to move a season-high 16 games over .500.

Yankees left fielder Andrew Benintendi left in the third inning after injuring his right wrist on a swing. X-rays were negative but he will have an MRI exam Saturday.

“That's what he felt, it felt like something popped on his wrist,” Boone said. “Hope for the best for him tomorrow.”

The announced crowd was 17,886. Tampa Bay entered averaging 13,845 at home.

A pair of errors by third baseman Josh Donaldson helped the Rays go up 1-0 in the fourth.

Ramirez reached when Donaldson misplayed his grounder but was thrown out by right fielder Oswaldo Cabrera, who came in for Benintendi, trying to score on Donaldson’s throwing error following Randy Arozarena’s infield hit. Arozarena went to third on the play and scored on David Peralta’s single.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a leadoff double in the fifth and one out later the Rays opted to pitch to Aaron Judge, and the slugger walked on a 3-2 pitch. Springs then induced a fly ball from Cabrera and struck out Giancarlo Stanton.

Judge, leading the majors with 51 homers and 113 RBIs, also struck out twice and reached on catcher's interference. Stanton struck out three times and walked.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: 1B Anthony Rizzo will miss the series after getting a epidural shot for lingering lower back pain. ... RHP Jameson Taillon, hit on the right forearm by a batted ball Tuesday, has a bullpen session Saturday and should make his next scheduled start.

Rays: RHP Tyler Glasnow (Tommy John surgery, Aug. 2021) is expected to start a minor league rehab assignment by throwing one inning with Triple-A Durham next week. ... SS Wander Franco (sore right hand) hopes to resume his rehab assignment soon.

UP NEXT

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (5-3) and Tampa Bay RHP Corey Kluber (9-7) are Saturday night’s starters.

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