The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Monday night at Tropicana Field in Game 2 of the ALDS. With the win, the Rays have taken a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
The Rays got on the board in the first inning when Yandy Diaz scored on a Junior Caminero groundout to make it 1-0. Ben Rice hit a solo homer for the Yankees in the fourth - the first of two he would hit in the game - to tie the game 1-1.
The Rays broke through in the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. After Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero had hits to start the frame, Aranda came home to score on a groundout from Liam Hicks that made it 2-1. Chandler Simpson then reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Caminero to score to make it 3-1 and chased Yankees starter Cam Schlittler from the game.
Victor Mesa then struck out for the second out of the inning, before Jonny DeLuca reached on a throwing error by Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. DeLuca then stole second - moments later, Richie Palacios hit a two-run single to give the Rays a commanding 5-1 lead.
Schittler (1-1, 1.69) finished the game allowing four runs - two of them earned - in four and one-third innings of work in which he struck out two and walked one. Freddy Peralta got the start for the Rays and allowed just one earned run on three hits in four and two-third innings in which he struck out three and walked one. Cam Booser (1-0, 0.00) got the win after getting the final out of the fifth inning.
The Yankees second run came when Ben Rice hit his second homer of the game in the eighth inning, this time off Ian Seymour. Seymour pitched three innings allowing just the one hit - Rice's solo homer - while striking out four and walking none. Bryan Baker then came in for the ninth inning and worked a 1-2-3 frame, earning his second save of the postseason.
The Rays will now head to New York needing just one more win to eliminate the Yankees from the ALDS. Game three of the best-of-five series is scheduled for 8:00 PM on Wednesday night. First pitch from Yankee Stadium on Wednesday is scheduled for 8:00 PM - pregame coverage begins with Ronnie Lane hosting Inside Pitch at 7:00 PM on 95.7 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES