Wednesday, 3 a.m.
Everyone knows that Giancarlo Stanton has muscles. After all, he had 59 home runs a year ago.
But Stanton didn't do in the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. Heck, he struck out all five times he came to bat.
And everyone knows that Aaron Judge is the bomb. Hey, he hit 52 homers a year ago.
But it wasn't Judge who ruined the day for the Rays. He had two hits and one RBI, but it was mild by his standards.
No, this time, it was Didi Gregorius who clubbed the Rays on a sloppy
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afternoon in the Bronx. Gregorius, went four-for-four and drove in eight runs, showing that he just isn't another name in the Yankees' lineup. The Rays lost 11-4, giving up seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Rays came from 4-1 down to tie the game at 4-4 on a double by Denard Span in the sixth, but a botched sacrifice bunt and Gregorius' second three-run homer of the day led the Yankees late outburst.
"They have a dangerous lineup," Rays' manager Kevin Cash said. "They can beat you with 1-9."
For the Rays, it was a game in which the team fell short of most of its nightly goals. Starting pitching? Not good. Archer gave up four earned runs in five innings. Defense? Carlos Gomez made a fine catch to take a home run away from Tyler Wade in the sixth inning, but it was Matt Duffy's error that allowed the go-ahead run. Bullpen? Austin Pruitt gave up six runs (five earned) in 2 1/3 innings.
The botched bunt bothered Cash. "There is a reason they're called sacrifices," he said. "You have to get someone out."
The Rays are now 1-4 on the season. The team plays against the Yankees again today at 1:05 p.m. Blake Snell starts against the Yankees' Luis Severino.
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