FINAL: Rays 9, #Yankees 5. pic.twitter.com/aOBc5rm8MT
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 28, 2016
Early inning woes continued for Michael Pineda as the New York Yankees fell to the Tampa Bay Rays in the middle game from Tropicana Field.
- New York Yankees: 5 (23-25)
- Tampa Bay Rays: 9 (22-25)
- American League, FINAL, Box Score
- Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
The New York Yankees were unable to claim a series victory as the Tampa Bay Rays took the second of three games in St. Petersburg.
Pouncing early on Yankee starter Michael Pineda were the Rays, scrapping across three first inning runs as Pineda continues to struggle in the early innings.
And it cost his team big time.
Pineda came into today with a 13.00 first-inning ERA. He’s given up three runs in the initial frame already.
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) May 28, 2016
But Tampa Bay didn’t stop there. Evan Longoria drilled a two-run blast to left-center in the bottom of the second inning to extend the lead to 5-0, the 11th homer Pineda has allowed in 2016.
This was @Evan3Longoria‘s 30th HR vs. the @Yankees—1 shy of @JoeyBats19 for most since 2008.#LongoingBack2Calihttps://t.co/QOiVUYfIYq
— #VoteRays (@RaysBaseball) May 28, 2016
The Yanks got one back in the fourth when Carlos Beltran sent his 2,500th career hit into the left field seats for his 12th homer of the season.
The blast was a solo shot that finally put the Yanks on the board, making it 5-1.
That Carlos Beltran home run, his 12th of the season, is also his 2,500th career hit! ?? pic.twitter.com/K0LPUR4Moi
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 28, 2016
One bright spot in this ugly Yankees game – Carlos Beltran is Mr. 2,500: https://t.co/G570WwxfN4 pic.twitter.com/Tozoy9N1eM
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) May 28, 2016
That run would quickly be erased as Longoria came through again in the bottom of the fourth with a run-scoring single that knocked Pineda from the game.
The 27-year-old walked off the mound trailing 6-1.
Here’s the line on Michael Pineda. It’s not good.
3.2 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) May 28, 2016
Batters were 5 for 8 vs Pineda with 2 outs today. For the season 42 for 93 (.452) with 23 extra base hits.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) May 28, 2016
Pineda was dreadful again on the mound nd he didn’t give the offense any room to work with.
The contest quickly became a cakewalk for Tampa once Hank Conger left the yard, taking reliever Luis Cessa deep to right in the fifth for a three-run bomb to make it a 9-1 ballgame at the time.
KUNG FU CONGER!@PandaCrusher35‘s first #Rays homer—a 3-run blast—puts #RaysUp, 9-1! pic.twitter.com/a1L0Ey5s2F
— #VoteRays (@RaysBaseball) May 28, 2016
The man opposing Big Mike was the complete opposite of dreadful.
Southpaw Matt Moore picked up the win in holding the Yankees in check all afternoon into evening, allowing three runs over six and two-thirds stellar frames.
In the seventh an Austin Romine RBI single and a Ronald Torreyes run-scoring walk had the Yankees within six with Alex Rodriguez in a bases loaded situation.
A-Rod was fanned however, by left-hander Enny Romero to end the threat.
The Yanks tacked on two in the eighth as Didi Gregorius and Romine, again, drove in runs, but were unable to surmount any further of a threat.
Alex Colome recorded the final three outs of the game for Tampa, who ended the game by the final of 9-5.
Pineda proves he is the worst
With Michael Pineda’s latest debacle he now possesses the worst ERA in the MLB among qualified pitchers. The right-hander is now 2-6 with a 6.92 ERA.
That is ugly at a first glance, second glance, and a third.
Michael Pineda is the worst. No, really. His 6.92 ERA is the highest among all @MLB qualified pitchers.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) May 28, 2016
Pineda has been downright awful. The only question that remains for the Yankees is how do they go about any of his upcoming starts. Will they skip him? Will they demote him? Questions will be answered.
Injury Update
Mark Teixeira, who is still battling neck spams, reportedly felt better this morning and is expected to return on Monday. The Yankees simply do not want to risk bringing him back on the field in their minimum of three days.
In addition, it looks like Carlos Beltran is a little banged up.
The red-hot Beltran had a spot in his shoulder “knot” up, according to skipper Joe Girardi. He was removed in the sixth inning of the loss and will likely be out of action in the series finale.
Carlos Beltran came out of the game because a spot under his right scapula “knotted up,” acc to Girardi. Sounds like he’s out tomorrow.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) May 28, 2016
What’s next?
The Yankees and Rays will wrap up the series from Tampa when they battle it out in a rubber game tomorrow afternoon. Nathan Eovaldi (5-2, 3.95 ERA) will take the ball for New York opposing Jake Odorizzi (2-2, 3.46 ERA).
The flame throwing right-hander has been superb in his last seven starts, going 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA for the Yanks. He hurled six scoreless innings against Toronto at Yankee Stadium his last time out.
Odorizzi has strung together two straight solid starts for Tampa Bay, allowing a combined two runs in ten innings pitched against Toronto and Miami. He is 3-4 with a 5.06 ERA in nine career games, eight starts, against the Yankees.
First pitch will be delivered at 1:10 pm ET from Tampa, can be seen on WPIX and MLB Network (out0of-market only), and heard on 660 WFAN/101.9 FM.
