The Tampa Bay Rays delivered a crushing 9-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday, showcasing both pitching prowess and offensive firepower. The star of the game was 23-year-old right-hander Taj Bradley, who pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out five. This performance continued Bradley’s impressive run, lowering his ERA to an MLB-best 0.92 over his last eight starts since June 8.On the offensive side, Randy Arozarena led the charge for the Rays, homering twice and tying a career-high with four hits. The Cuban outfielder drove in three runs, contributing significantly to the Rays’ dominant performance. Alex Jackson also joined the home run party with a three-run blast.This victory brings the Rays to a 49-49 record, tying their franchise record and keeping them within 5.5 games of the third American League wild-card spot. For the Yankees, this loss extends their streak of winless series to eight, highlighting their recent struggles.The Yankees’ woes were epitomized by starting pitcher Nestor Cortes, who had a disastrous outing. Cortes allowed six earned runs in just 4.1 innings, admitting afterwards that his performance was ‘unacceptable’ due to his inability to command and spot his pitches.As the trade deadline approaches, both teams are likely to be active. The Yankees, despite their recent struggles, remain hopeful. As Cortes stated, ‘We’re close to being a great team,’ expressing confidence that the front office will make moves to improve the team. Meanwhile, the Rays’ recent surge may influence their trade deadline strategy as they push for a wild-card spot.
Key points
- Taj Bradley pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only one hit in the Rays’ 9-1 victory over the Yankees.
- Randy Arozarena hit two home runs and tied a career-high with four hits.
- The Rays tied their franchise record with a 49-49 record, staying in the wild-card race.
- Yankees’ struggles continue, with Nestor Cortes having a particularly poor outing.
