By the end of the first inning, it was clear the New York Yankees were in for another tough night. All-Star Isaac Paredes smashed a three-run homer, and the Tampa Bay Rays held off their struggling AL East rivals 5-3 on Tuesday night, dealing the Yankees their 17th loss in 23 games.
After starting the season with an impressive 50-22 record through mid-June, the Yankees have now posted the worst record in baseball over the past three weeks.
“We know we’re capable of more, right? Everyone has seen what we can achieve at our best,” rookie outfielder Ben Rice remarked. “So, I think it’s just a matter of time before we turn things around.”
Paredes homered in a four-run first inning against Carlos Rodón (9-7). Right-hander Ryan Pepiot (5-5) stifled one of baseball’s top offenses to just one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings, allowing Tampa Bay to prevail despite managing only two hits after the third inning.
“It’s never easy to play from behind, but you can’t adopt a defeatist attitude. … We need to stay aggressive,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
“Sure, we want to take an early lead, but we have to stay focused on each at-bat and keep pushing.” Three days after hitting three home runs in a game, Rice launched a two-run shot in the seventh inning, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-3.
The Rays added a run on Johnny DeLuca’s double in the eighth inning for a two-run cushion before the drama unfolded in the ninth.
DJ LeMahieu singled with one out, setting the stage for Rice as the potential tying run. However, Pete Fairbanks rose to the occasion, striking out Rice and retiring Juan Soto on a deep flyout to secure his 15th save in 17 chances.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman acknowledged concerns about the team’s recent performance before the game, emphasizing his responsibility to remain vigilant during the team’s six-game road trip, including a series in Baltimore over the weekend.
