PORT CHARLOTTE (620 WDAE) -- After finding out that he was going to minor-league camp Thursday morning, Jake Bauers' two-run double helped key a four-run fifth inning, but the Tampa Bay Rays committed three ninth-inning errors that helped the New York Yankees scratch across the tying run and salvage a 5-5 deadlock Thursday at Charlotte Sports Park.
Alex Colome's ninth inning started to unravel with one out, when Tyler Wade's fly ball was dropped in left field by Shane Peterson for a two-base error. Wade then stole third base, and when catcher Mike McKenry's throw went wide of third baseman Patrick Leonard and in to left field, Wade was able to come home with the game-tying run.
Tampa Bay got the scoring started in the second, as Jesus Sucre's sacrifice fly plated Steven Souza Jr., who tripled to start the inning.
The Rays maintained the lead until the fifth inning, when they teed off on reliever J.R. Graham for four runs. Jake Bauers' two-base hit, off reliever J.R. Graham, was sandwiched between an RBI single by Tim Beckham and a run-scoring hit for Patrick Leonard, turning a 1-0 game into a 5-0 advantage.
New York got on the scoreboard in the sixth with a pair of runs charged to new reliever Jumbo Diaz, and cut the lead to 5-4 with a solo homer by Ronal Torreyes and a sacrifice fly by Clint Frazier.
Rays starter Austin Pruitt worked the first four innings, giving up just three hitps and a walk while striking out five in a 66-pitch effort.
Tampa Bay heads back to Bradenton Friday for a matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Diego Moreno will get the start, taking on Trevor Williams, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05.