New York Yankees Beat Tampa Bay Rays Behind a Walk-Off Home Run From Aaron Judge

The Yankees beat the Rays at home 2-0 in a game in which both starting pitchers, Ryan Weathers and Drew Rasmussen, threw seven scoreless innings. They were very good. However, the Yanks continued their streak of scoreless innings. The team had devastatingly lost three consecutive games and needed a win. The Rays led them by 5.5 games coming into this game, and the team needed a win in the worst possible way to stem the bleeding. The Yankees dramatically won this game in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The weather in New York was awful for this game. The rain stopped just before the game started. Both teams were leaving the city after this game, and they already had a game postponed until September, so they needed to get this game in.

The Yankees are headed to Kansas City to play a Memorial Day game against the Royals. The Rays are going to Baltimore to play the Orioles tomorrow. Both teams were fortunate that the game started on time. They also benefited from the fact that the game was well-pitched and went quickly.

Yankees and Rays Game Summary

There was not a lot going on in this game, scoring-wise. However, both Weathers and Drew Rasmussen matched each other by throwing zeros on the scoreboard. Weathers pitched seven innings and only allowed four hits. He struck out four batters and walked three. Rasmussen was similar. He threw seven innings and allowed only five hits. He struck out six and walked one.

There was a defensive play in the eighth inning. The Rays had runners on first and second base. A fly ball was hit to Left Fielder Cody Bellinger. Both runners ran, and Bellinger caught the ball and threw the baserunner out at third base. He did this before the runner at home scored.

This was a heads-up defensive play that kept the game scoreless. This was probably a mistake on the bases by Junior Caminero, who was thrown out at third base. He was looking at Bellinger as he rounded second base, and one has to wonder if that somehow slowed him down. 

There was only one score in the game. Aaron Judge, who was homerless in his last 11 games, hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Yankees won 2-0. The team goes with their captain and biggest slugger. As the team is leaving to go on the road, this was an important hit that could spark the team. 

Ryan Weathers Pitches In Bad Luck

The starting pitcher for the Yankees was Weathers. He is looking more and more like a good acquisition, as he keeps putting together outstanding outings. He throws hard and seems to be getting stronger as the year goes on. He is making a strong case to stay in the Yankees’ starting rotation when Max Fried comes back from his injury.

Drought

The Yankees led Major League Baseball in runs scored last year. They were criticized in the offseason for “running it back.” That is playing with essentially the same roster they had last year as they have this year.

They have only scored five runs in the last four games. This offensive drought for the Yanks is a bit puzzling, but it has been established that the team hits as Judge hits. He has been struggling, and the team has been struggling. Here is hoping the walk-off home run from him will get him going and enable the team to score some more runs.