The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 3.
The game was decided by one solo home run in the 3rd inning, but at the center of the victory was the dominant pitching of Rays starter Drew Rasmussen.
The Yankees recorded their first hit with two outs in the 8th, but lost the opportunity on a baserunning out.
3-Line Summary
1. The Rays defeated the Yankees 1-0.
2. Rasmussen had a no-hitter through two outs in the 8th.
3. The Yankees’ first hit did not lead to a run.
Aranda’s Solo Home Run in the 3rd Became the Game-Winning Run
With one out in the 3rd, Rays No. 2 hitter Jonathan Aranda hit a solo home run over the right-center-field wall against Yankees starter Gerrit Cole. The shot, which came on an outside changeup with a 2-2 count, was the only run of the game and became the game-winning hit.
In a one-run game, the momentum can shift with even one small mistake. However, the Rays were able to protect the one run they created in the 3rd because their starting pitcher held down the Yankees’ lineup for an extended period. More than a big-margin victory, this was a game in which the starting pitcher’s dominance increased the value of one run.
Rasmussen Suppressed the Yankees’ Lineup with 101 Pitches
Drew Rasmussen did not allow a hit through two outs in the 8th. Over 8 innings, he threw 101 pitches and recorded 1 hit allowed, no runs, 2 walks, and 10 strikeouts. The right-hander, who recorded 16 wins and a 2.67 earned-run average during the regular season, played a central role in the postseason opener as well.
After issuing a walk in each of the 2nd and 3rd innings, Rasmussen retired 15 consecutive batters on outs. His 10 strikeouts set the Rays’ record for most strikeouts in a single postseason game, tying the mark set by Tyler Glasnow in 2020.
The Yankees’ first hit came with two outs in the 8th. Austin Wells hit a double down the right-field line to end the no-hit bid, but he was tagged out while rounding 2nd and running toward 3rd. A moment that could have provided a starting point for a counterattack immediately after the hit became the end of the inning.
The decisive number in this game was not the Rays’ 1 run, but the two outs in the 8th that Rasmussen lasted until before allowing a hit. The Yankees could not create a starting point for their offense until late in the game, and the difficult opportunity they finally found disappeared with a baserunning decision to advance. The Rays’ first win of the series came from the combination of one home run and the starting pitching that protected that one run. The reason the 1-run lead held to the end also became clear through those two moments.
References
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