Austin Meadows #17 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a 3-run home run off of Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees in the first inning at Tropicana Field Thursday.Photo: Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays salvaged a win from this three-game set against the New York Yankees with a 14-0 laugher over the Yankees and Gerrit Cole at the Trop on Thursday afternoon.
The game was really over after a very eventful first inning, as Brandon Lowe sent Gerrit Cole's first pitch of the inning over the right field foul pole for what was initially called a home run, then switched on the field to a foul ball. After video replay was inconclusive, the foul call stood.
But that didn't matter much, as Lowe eventually scored after he singled in the same at bat, driven home by Yandy Diaz after a Ji-Man Choi walk. Austin Meadows then came to the plate and blasted a three-run shot to right center, and after four batters, the Rays had a 4-0 lead.
But the first wasn't the only eventful inning.
The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth, when the Rays plated 10 more, highlighted by three homers: a Brett Phillips grand slam off Yankees reliever Albert Abreu, a two-run shot off Abreu by Ji-Man Choi and a Meadows two-run shot off Abreu, Meadows' second of the game.
Of that 10-run sixth inning, the Rays set a franchise record as 11 consecutive hitters reached base. The 10 runs are also the second-most the Rays have scored in an inning.
Abreu replaced Cole in the sixth after Cole loaded the bases and allowed a two-run sacrifice fly/error on Brett Gardner, after Gardner bobbled and dropped a Kevin Kiermaier liner to left.
Cole once again had a terrible outing against the Rays, pitching five and a third innings, allowing six runs on eight hits (seven earned), two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Abreu fared worse, facing eight batters, not retiring any of them on six runs, four hits, two walks, and the aforementioned three homers.
On the other hand, Rays' starter Luis Patino had his best start as a big-leaguer, mowing down the Bronx Bombers' lineup, allowing only three hits over six innings, striking out eight and walking two.
The Rays now turn around and face the AL-East division-leading Boston Red Sox at the Trop for another big three-game set, featuring a nationally televised Sunday Night game. Coverage starts Friday at 6:30 with Neil Solondz and the Rays pregame show. First pitch is set for 7:10 on 95.3 WDAE with Dave Wills and Andy Freed.
COVER PHOTO: Getty Images