Friday, 4 a.m.
It wasn't enough that the New York Yankees beat the tar out of the Tampa Bay Rays this week.
They would have liked a little blood, too.
Maybe a couple of bruises, while they were at it.
The Yankees clobbered the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday afternoon, 12-1. It was the third win for New York in the four-game series, as they scored 32 runs and collected 41 hits along the way. New York had nine home runs in the series.
If that wasn't enough of an assault, however, the Yankees and
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Rays were engaged in a beanball war in the sixth inning. Andrew Kittredge threw
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high and tight to New York's Austin Romine, and New York's C.C. Sabathia then plunked Jesus Sucre on the leg.
All in all, it made for an ugly day on the part of the Rays.
“I think it was probably a bunch of people protecting teammates, more than
anything," said Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash. "There’s not a ton to say. It looked like there was some intent there, but that’s not for me to decide.”
Along with Sabathia, Yankees' manager Aaron Boone was ejected.
“I was still fuming just from the fact that Kittredge threw one over our catcher’s head," Boone said. "That’s where my frustration lies. Glad no one was hurt. I think there’s no question there was intent. You’ve had some guys hit this series, and then you’re gonna throw—and you throw one over the head. I hated it. If you’re going to play that game and you start messing around with people’s heads, we’re going to take exception to that.”
The ejection came two innings before Sabathia would have qualified for a $500,000 bonus for throwing 155 innings. Sabathia had a one-hit shutout going, so he was certain to qualify.
"I don’t really make decisions based on money, I guess," Sabathia said. "It just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Teammate Aaron Judge gave Sabathia a thumb's up.
“The respect level for CC will never change," Judge said. "He’s always been a guy that’s always had our back, always looked out for his teammates no matter the situation, and that’s the type of guy you want to battle with.
“I don’t know if it was on purpose or what. But anytime you throw at a guy, you don’t want to aim near the head area. If you’re going to hit a guy, do it in the ribs or butt or something like that. But when you aim near the head, that’s a different ballgame. That gets people fired up.”
Kittredge didn't offer a lot of defense.
"That's baseball," he said. "I don't really have a comment. Obviously that was a high and tight pitch. That’s not a comfortable feeling for him. It is what it is. There were a lot of guys who got hit this week. They had some guys who got hit too. It’s baseball.”
The Rays were beaten up enough in the game itself. New York scored four in the first, three in the fourth and four in the sixth. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, had only two hits on the day. In their three losses in the series, the Rays had just nine hits.
Think about it. The Rays were held to two hits three times this season. Two of them came in this series.
For Tampa Bay, it was the first series lost since August 17-19 against Boston. It was the first series the team has lost at home since Aug. 3-5 against the Chicago White Sox.
One of the Rays' hits was the 29th homer of the season by C.J. Cron for the Rays' only run.
“It’s closer," Cron said. "At the end of day, you usually just have to take it at-bat by at- bat and try to put together a game plan against whoever you are facing. Put a good swing on the ball. That’s all you can control.”
Cron split time with the Angels, which he said helped him.
“Yeah, I think so. With the second half, I obviously haven’t played as much, but that was with my four years with the Angels too so I kind of knew what to expect. I’m really not great at doing it, but I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to help the team whenever I’m in there.”
Jamie Schultz started for the Rays, but he didn't get out of the first inning before giving up four runs.
"Somehow we have to get him to where he’s comfortable enough getting the ball over the plate a little more consistently, because his stuff really plays," Cash said. "The home run was a backup slider, but he put himself in a jam with the walks before that.”
The Rays have one more series, against Toronto, before the end of the year. Tyler Glasnow pitches against Thomas Pannone in a 7:10 p.m. start at Tropicana Field.
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