Just like in the first three doubleheaders held at Tropicana Field, each side took one of the contests. The Tampa Bay Rays dropped a 8-4 decision to the New York Yankees in the matinee, but came back to defeat New York 5-3 in the nightcap to salvage a split of the twin-bill.
In a rematch of Game 5 of last year's American League Division Series, the Rays agains struggled early against Gerrit Cole, while Tyler Glasnow started out strong, but after an eight-pitch first inning, it took the right-hander 31 pitches to get out of the inning unscathed, but he would not be so lucky in the third. Aaron Judge singled with one out, and Mike Ford followed with a blast on to the netting above the empty ray tank in right center, his first home run of 2020, and a 2-0 lead. Glasnow walked both Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres, and after a strikeout by Mike Tauchman, Gio Urshela followed with a double to make it 4-0 and end Glasnow's afternoon.
Stanton made it 5-0 in the fifth with a solo home run, his fifth of the year.
Cole finally stumbled in the fifth, as Mike Zunino broke an 0 for 23 slump with a one-out double, and after Yandy Diaz struck out, Ji-Man Choi doubled in Zunino for the first run of the afternoon. Jose Martinez then ended Cole's afternoon with a two-run homer to center, his second of the season.
Judge gave the Yankees some more breathing room in the sixth, blasting a two-run homer off the C ring, his eighth of the year.
Kevin Kiermaier's RBI groundout in the sixth got the Rays back to within a three runs, but Urshela's sacrifice fly in the seventh set the score at 8-4.
In the nightcap, Tampa Bay was able to score a first-inning run for just the second time this season, as Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a bases loaded walk off Yankees starter Michael King.
The game would stay 1-0 until the fourth, when Luke Voit's base hit scored Giancarlo Stanton to tie the game.
Austin Meadows would give the Rays the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth with a flare single that drove in a pair, and Kevan Smith drove in two more an inning later with a base hit of his own.
Tampa Bay got two innings of one hit baseball from Ryan Thompson to begin the nightcap, while Diego Castillo and Andrew Kittredge.each provided an inning each of scoreless relief. Jalen Beeks worked a scoreless eighth, but allowed two runs in the ninth after a single by Urshela, a double to Erik Kratz, and a two-run single to DJ LeMahieu, forcing manager Kevin Cash to bring in Nick Anderson. The righty got Judge to fly to deep center to end the game and finish off the split.
Tampa Bay can now finish off a series win Sunday with a victory in the finale, as Charlie Morton (1-1, 5.52 ERA) takes n James Paxton (0-1, 13.50 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:10, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 11:00 Sunday morning with The Inside Pitch.