Yankees Highlights: They can’t keep getting away with it

These Rays sure are pesky. The Yankees are a 16-8 team, one of the best in the American League, but are now 1-5 against Tampa Bay after they fall by a score of 4-2 tonight. Their lead in the AL East has evaporated, and they’ll need to avoid the sweep tomorrow to hold onto it. Bleh.

We’ll have a full recap later tonight, but here’s the highlights:

Winners of the Game

Gerrit Cole turned in his usual performance today, going 6.2 innings and allowing just two runs while striking out 10. It wasn’t without the odd blip on the radar — mainly, another pair of solo home runs served up to Ji-Man Choi and Mike Zunino in the second and third innings, respectively. Still, Cole has been a fixture for the Yankees atop the rotation, and it’s been a necessity.

Luke Voit continues to pick up the slack for his team offensively. The slugging first baseman has now tied Aaron Judge for the team lead in home runs after demolishing a pitch in the bottom of the third, and his last four hits have all been dingers. Keep on keeping on, Luke.

Loser of the Game

Zack Britton inherited a tie game from Cole, but he couldn’t maintain that for long. Britton got the last out of the seventh before running into trouble in the eighth, committing a fielding error immediately that put a man on second. Britton issued a walk to Brandon Lowe, then a fielder’s choice cut down the lead runner, but Britton would not escape unharmed. Back to back singles brought home a pair of runs, and that would be all the Rays needed.

Honorable Mention: Pinch-hitting

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