Yankees 2, Rays 3: Tampa Bay outlasts Yankees in extra innings

While on the average, the Yankees' offense has been better than expected this season, this game will not be going on their highlight reel. It won't exactly be going on the Rays' highlight reel either. Starting pitchers Michael Pineda and Drew Smyly both had success, before turning it over to their respective bullpens, who were also both good. The thing that made the difference in this game was that the Rays took their chance in extras, while the Yankees squandered theirs. In the end, the Rays came away with a 3-2 win in 13 innings.

The game was a pitchers' duel early with the Yankees and Rays managing just one hit each through the first three innings. It would be the Rays who broke the deadlock in the fourth inning. Pineda got the first two outs, but James Loney would keep the inning alive with a single. Logan Forsythe followed that up with another single, putting runner at first and second. Kevin Kiermaier was up next and he and Pineda battled in a long at bat. On the ninth pitch, Kiermaier hit a triple to right-center field, scoring both runners. Pineda eventually got out of the inning and limited the damage to just that, but it was now 2-0 Rays.

The Yankees finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Chase Headley led off the inning with a home run. That cut the Rays' lead to 2-1.

Pineda allowed a lead-off single to Evan Longoria to start the top of the sixth. He managed to erase that by getting Loney to ground into a double play. But after Forsythe doubled, Girardi decided to go to the bullpen. Pineda finished his day with 5.2 innings pitched, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five. Justin Wilson came in and got Kiermaier to line out to end the inning.

Stranding that run would be useful when Chris Young hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth. Just like that, the game was tied at two.

David Carpenter pitched a nice seventh inning. Dellin Betances was impressive in the eighth, before limping off (hopefully that was nothing). And then Andrew Miller threw a good ninth inning. Unfortunately, while the bullpen was holding it down, the offense wasn't taking advantage and the game would go into extra innings.

The extra innings didn't really change the fortunes for either offense, as they continued trading zeros for quite a while.

After both teams squandered some chances, the Rays broke through in the 13th. With one out in the inning, Steven Souza drew a walk against Chasen Shreve. Asdrubal Cabrera then grounded out, but the Yankees could only get one out, with Souza moving to second. The Yankees then opted to have Shreve intentionally walk Longoria. That brought Loney to the plate. After the count worked full, Loney grounded into the shift, but it was just enough of a slow-roller that Stephen Drew had no play at first and Souza beat the throw to home. That gave the Rays a 3-2 lead.

The top of the Yankees' order was due up in the bottom of the 13th. Ellsbury flew out for the first out of the inning, but Young followed that with a single, giving the Yankees some hope. That brought Alex Rodriguez to the plate. Rodriguez had struggled all the day, but now had a chance to be the hero. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. A-Rod grounded into a game-ended double play, giving the Rays a sweep-avoiding win. Despite the loss, the Yankees still take the series from the Rays and still stay in first place.

And with that, the Yankees have the day off tomorrow as they head to Boston for a series starting Friday.

Box score.