The Tampa Bay Rays (73-57) shut out the New York Yankees (79-53) 9-0 on Friday night at Tropicana Field. The Rays are now just five games behind the Yankees in the AL East race, and a season high sixteen games above .500.
After David Peralta drove in a run in the fourth, Christian Bethancourt hit a long two-run homer in the seventh inning to give the Rays a 3-0 lead. The Rays used an enormous outburst in the eighth inning - six runs off of the New York bullpen - to turn this game into a blowout.
Jeffrey Springs pitched five and two-thirds innings of shutout baseball to get the win. He struck out seven while walking three and allowing just four hits in the outing.
The Rays and Yankees meet in the second game of the three game series on Saturday evening. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 6:10 PM - Neil Solondz begins pregame coverage at 5:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES