The New York Yankees committed four defensive errors and fell 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at Tropicana Field, dropping into a 2-0 hole in the American League Division Series.
Three of those errors came in the first inning alone, allowing Tampa Bay to take a 1-0 lead when Junior Caminero hit into a fielder’s choice off Yankees starter Cam Schlittler. The game marked just the fifth time in Yankees postseason history that the club has committed four or more errors.
New York tied the score in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Ben Rice off Rays starter Freddy Peralta. The Yankees had a chance to take the lead in the fifth after loading the bases, but Cody Bellinger flew out to the warning track against reliever Cam Booser, stranding all three runners.
Tampa Bay answered in the bottom of the fifth. An RBI groundout from Liam Hicks, an RBI infield single by Chandler Simpson, and a two-run single from Richie Palacios put the Rays up 5-1.
Rice hit his second home run of the night in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 5-2, but the rest of the Yankees lineup could not generate further offense. New York’s frustration was compounded when a fly ball off the bat of Spencer Jones struck the Tropicana Field catwalk and was ruled an out under the ballpark’s live-play rules — a repeat of a similar play involving Ty France at American Family Field on Saturday.
The loss follows Tampa Bay’s Game 1 win, in which Rays starter Drew Rasmussen threw eight no-hit innings against New York.
The Yankees now return to the Bronx facing elimination. Game 3 will pit Yankees ace Max Fried against Rays right-hander Nick Martinez, a 15-game winner this season, as New York attempts to keep its season alive.
