Yankees Lose Series Opener to Rays

wfla.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

June 20^th, 2013

Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Post Game Recap

Final Score: Rays 8 Yankees 3

The New York Yankees did not start their weekend four-game home series against the division rival Tampa Bay Rays they would have liked to, losing by a score of 8-3. The loss moves the Yankees to (39-33), and the AL East is really starting to tighten up from top to bottom.

Andy Pettitte was not very good for the Yankees on Thursday night, as his poor performance led to him getting his fifth loss of the season. The Rays got to Pettitte pretty early, as a Jose Lobaton sac-fly scored recently called up Wil Meyers for the first run of the ball game in the second inning. In the third inning the Rays would tack on two more with a Ben Zobrist RBI single which scored Desmond Jennings, and then a sac-fly from Evan Longoria scored Sean Rodriguez. Longoria would make it a 4-0 game in the sixth inning with his 15^th home run of the season off Pettitte. Back to back doubles in the seventh inning from Rodriguez and Jennings would send Pettitte to the locker room. Pettitte finished going 6.2 innings allowing five runs on nine hits with one walk.

Matt Moore was able to bounce back from some struggles recently, and put together a good start against the Yankees earning his ninth win of the season. Moore went 6.1 innings allowing three runs on four hits, and three walks. Moore only had one bad inning, as in the sixth inning the Yankees were finally able to get to him. The Yankees first run in the inning would come on a wild pitch by Moore, which scored Reid Brignac, and then a sac-fly by Robinson Cano would score Brett Gardner. Following Cano, Travis Hafner would ground out to score Jayson Nix for the Yankees final run of the inning and the game. Somehow the Yankees got three runs in the inning with just one hit off Moore, thanks to Moore walking two batters.

Things would get a bit ugly in the eighth inning for the Yankees with the game being still very much in reach for a possible comeback win, but Longoria hit his second home run of the game this time off Joba Chamberlain to make it a 6-3 game. Boone Logan would come in to try and keep it a three-run game, but he also gave up a homerun, as a two-run home run by Yunel Escobar made it a 8-3 game, and ended any hope of a Yankees comeback.

The Yankees will turn to David Phelps (4-4, 4.08) on Friday night, as they look to snap their two-game skid against Roberto Hernandez (4-7, 5.02) and the Rays.