RAYS 8 - YANKEES 4
The lingering effects of Aaron Boone's decision to use an opener in Game 2 of the ALDS only manifested itself in an 8-4 loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, as the Yankees fell behind in their best-of-five series two games to one.
Charlie Morton dominated the Bombers for five innings, while Mashairo Tanaka was lit up for two homers in what could be his final Yankees' start.
The Yankees now face the prospect of turning the ball over to Jordan Montgomery in a must-win-to-stay-alive scenario in Game 4.
The Yankees pitching issues, which have been a problem all year, have hung over this series since Boone's decision to remove Deivi Garcia after one inning in Game 2. It haunted them in Game 3, and it may haunt them throughout the off-season to come IF the Yankees can't comeback to win this series.
It didn't take long for the feelings to sour on the Yankees.
In the top of the second inning, Tanaka got himself into some series trouble, allowing a couple of singles to Joey Wendel and Willy Adames, before coming back to strike out Kevin Keirmaier swinging for the second out. However, Tanaka had no such luck with Michael Perez who lined an RBI single to right to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.
While it was early, and it was only one run, the dye was cast for the rest of the night. You could feel it.
Things only got worse for Tanaka by the fourth inning. After a walk to Wendle and a single by Adames, Keirmaier delivered some pay back on the Yankees righty by launching the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for a three-run homer to give Tampa Bay a 4-1 lead.
An inning later, Tanaka couldn't even get out of the fifth inning when Randy Arozarena, who has had a teriffic series, launched a solo shot to center to give the Rays a 5-1 lead. Good night Tanaka. The one-time ace of the Yankees was done, removed after the homer in what could be his final night in pinstripes.
Tanaka lasted only four innings, allowing five runs on eight hits.
As for Arozarena, he killed the Yankees on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 on the night with a homer. He is now hitting .667 (8-for-12) against New York in this series.
Keirmaier and Perez also destroyed the Yankees on Wednesday. Both went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI. In fact Perez's two-run shot off Chad Green in the top of the sixth inning all but ended it.
On the flip side, Charlie Morton was nothing short of solid. He only went five innings, but held the Yanks to just one earned run on four hits, earning his fifth career postseason victory. Morton has turned it on in October as a Ray. He was 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA last year. He is off to a flying start this time around.
While the Yankees did chip away, thanks to a two-run bomb by Giancarlo Stanton, his fourth such homer of this series to cut the Rays lead to 8-4. It was not enough.
The Yankees are now in desperation mode tomorrow night when they give the ball to Montgomery. They need him to turn into Andy Pettitte overnight if they are going to extend this season another night, and turn down the pressure on Boone, whose managerial decisions -- not only during the year -- but specifically in this series, have been costly.
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