Colome finished an impressive five-reliever day./JEFFREY S. KING
Monday, 2 a.m.
Need one word to describe the latest game by the Tampa Bay Rays?
How about “relief?”
Relief, as in the feeling of a baseball team winning after it had lost eight of the previous 10 games. Relief, as in a team stopping the slide downward in the standings.
And relief, as in the bullpen.
The Rays, who rebuilt their pen last week by trading for three new arms, won the final game of a four-game series (after losing the first three). The
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Souza drove in the Rays' final run with a double../CARMEN MANDATO
bullpen got the final 15 outs of the game against the Yankees, with five relievers allowing one hit and no runs through the final five innings.
The Rays struck out 16 times, committed two errors, walked seven and hit a batter, but they still won as the Yankees left 11 men on base.
Rookie Jacob Faria wasn't sharp in his latest start, lasting only four innings and walking five. He gave up three earned runs.
But the Rays finally won a game in the series. Corey Dickerson drove in two runs with a single. Trevor Plouffe, Wilson Ramos and Steven Souza Jr. also drove in runs.
Still, the story was the bullpen. Sergio Romo threw 2/3 of an inning, followed by Dan Jennings (2/3), Steve Cishek (1 2/3 innings). All three pitchers are new to the Rays. Regulars Tommy Hunter and Alex Colome each pitched an inning. Colome picked up his 30th save of the year. The Rays have now used a record 28 pitchers this season.
Dickerson drove in two runs for the Rays./CARMEN MANDATO
Cishek got the win.
“All of the credit has to go to the bullpen,” Cash said. There were a lot of high-leverage, high-pressure situations. They calmed the situations down and continued to make big pitches.”
Faria had perhaps his toughest outing, even though he allowed only three hits.
“Jake battled,” Cash said. “He'll be the first to say that he's got to control the count better. He has to realize that walks will end up biting him. He didn't have command of any of his pitches. At one point, he was borderline with 50 percent throwing strikes. He grinded through it.”
For the Yankees, Ronald Torreyes had all three RBI, including a two-run homer.
The Rays now travel to Houston to play four games against the Astros. In the first game, Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb pitches against Charlie Morton of Houston.
Faria lasted only four innings against New York./CARMEN MANDATO
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