Cron doubled in a run in the first./CARMEN MANDATO
Thursday, 4 a.m.
This is how the murdered feel. This is what it's like on the other side of a clobbering.
The New York Yankees bludgeoned the feeble Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday, bashing them 7-2 as Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez all hit two-run homers.
For the Rays, starter Blake Snell recorded only 10 outs and gave up five earned runs. He threw 90 pitches before leaving.
The Yankees' sluggers have already been talked about as hitting the
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Snell couldn't last long against the Yankees./JEFFREY S. KING
most home runs ever for the franchise, which has had the combos of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Both Stanton and Sanchez were one-for-nine in the series, but their long balls made up for it.
I give that lineup all the credit in the world, but our pitchers are equipped to challenge any lineup," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
At this point, a team of scientists could debate whether the Rays' pitching or its hitting have been worse. The season is just six games old, and already, the Rays are four games out.
"Too many three-ball counts," said Cash. "Too many 2-0 counts. Too many leadoff hitters getting on base. He put himself in a bind right out of the gate.
"I don't think he was nit-picking. I just think he was off. He couldn't quite come in the fastball. His off-speed wasn't where he wanted."
As disturbing as the pitching was, however, it was the Rays hitting that struggled once again.
The Rays are hitting only .196, their second worst (to 2011) in franchise history after six games. The Rays have their fewest home runs ever, their second-worst run total, their second-worst slugging percentage and their second-worst hit total. In the 2011 season, the Rays were 0-6. This tied them with 2001 at 1-5 for their second-worst start.
That 2011 team, however, rallied to win 90 games and make the playoffs.
Seven of the nine Rays starters are hitting less than .200.
"Stay positive," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. "It's my job, it's my staff's job, it's every player In here's job. We have to stay positive. We've not gotten off to the start we wanted, but it's a long season. There is time to turn it around. No panicking. We've run into two good ball clubs."
The day started well for the Rays, as C.J. Cron doubled in Kevin Kiermaier to give the team a first-inning lead. After that, however, Tampa Bay didn't score until Denard Span's sacrifice fly in the eighth.
So far, only one Rays pitcher has lasted until the seventh inning.
"I was just trying to nitpick," said Snell. "I fell behind. It was frustrating. A lack of consistency. I was drifting a little more than I have been, tying to be too perfect against a good lineup.
The Rays now, once again, face the Boston Red Sox and David Price today. Yonny Chrinos pitches for the Rays. Game time is 2:05 at Fenway Park.
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