Rays regain footing in division against Yankees with a 7–2 thump (part 1)
If one wrote off the East Division title to the New York Yankees after Tuesday’s game, then that was a big mistake. It’s already well known that when there’s a series against the Tampa Bay Rays, there’s no way one can predict where the tide will turn. If
someone’s new to baseball here then they should know that both teams mentioned have been in a long struggle to win the American League Eastern Title since the last month.
Before last night’s 3rd encounter in the 4-game series, the Yanks were 2–0 up and 2
1/ 2 points clear of their rivals on the table. For what it’s worth, the post season is about 10 days away and with the teams shifting to high gear on producing expected results, things are getting tough for every roster in
the League.
The New York Yankees went into the game with a 2–0 margin in the series. The two last encounters produced an amazing string of results for the roster. There was no question that these fixtures were always going to be the season’s highlight in the American
League. The first game against the Rays saw a high spirited Yankee side thump the visitors, courtesy, Curtis Granderson’s two homers and Derek Jeter’s run scoring record.
The unveiling of George Steinbrenner’s monument at the stadium was a major motivation behind the win and both teams fought hard for the result. Where George was the source of inspiration for the first Yankee fixture, Nick Swisher proved to be the orchestrator
for the second. Much was owed to Rays’ pitcher, James Shield, who performed terribly in his exhibition, giving away 7 hits and 5 runs.
However, this encounter tonight was to prove whether the Tampa Bay side had it in them to shine at the sight of a plausible series defeat. Much to the bemusement of the 46,986 fans in the Yankee Stadium, rain showered on upon the park to delay the match
for a while.
With the delay in motion, the teams waited for the thunder to stop and roaring of the clouds to cease. Most of the crowd dispersed and Lance Berkman commented on the ambiance and its impact on the fixture. I think it killed it. To me, it was a totally different
feel. The crowd was gone, the electricity that was there the first two games was gone".
For a side that has been grooming Major League Baseball’s best pitching faction, much was expected of the Yankees when they introduced Allan James Burnett for starting pitcher duty. James has been back from injury and his last game saw a concession of 6
hits and 3 runs. That day, the team’s luck reeled against the Baltimore Orioles till Burnett had been replaced. The game was a win but for the ace man, it counted as a no decision, due to the tied score line on 3–3.
Wednesday’s game was different as the man suffered a harsh loss in his 3 innings played. Even though his Earning Run Average fell to 5.05, his team’s inability to score early gave him a decisive loss when the team crashed out of the competition. Familiar
with harsh decisions and tough luck, the experienced ball thrower walked off with 2 hits and 1 run allowed.
For Tampa Bay, the situation was different. Manager, Joe Maddon had a lot to deal with his side before the encounter even began. The 2 earlier losses to the New York champions meant his squad had to focus on staying positive. Wade Davis was there to start
and Jeremy Hellickson was present in the encounter to provide any necessary cover. Davis managed to pitch in 2.1 innings and conceded nothing in the process. He wasn’t able to continue and that brought on Hellickson to the mound. The young star faced a tough
Yankees’ rally but managed to keep the team at bay, pitching 54 deliveries and conceding 2 runs off 3 hits in 3.1 innings of play.
Wade commented on the game when the match ended, “it would've been nice to have a go at it. I was moving around for about an hour. I couldn't stop moving, but it is what it is. We played a good game. Hellickson pitched great. The bullpen pitched great...can't
ask for much more".
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