Gerrit Cole tosses six scoreless innings, Yankees shut out Rays to keep on rolling
Gerrit Cole #45 of the Yankees reacts after getting a sixth inning ending double play against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Perhaps you heard or read about the Yankees’ step up in degree of difficulty starting Tuesday night after a recent soft spot in the schedule.
It’s true! But on Day 1, it did not matter, as they beat the Rays, 2-0, at Yankee Stadium.
Nothing seems to matter for opponents anymore as the Yankees continue on their roll through late spring.
They built their latest success on an impressive bounce-back by starter Gerrit Cole and some sloppy Rays defense for their 12th consecutive home victory and fifth win in a row overall. They are 45-16 and trying desperately to keep things in perspective.
“It’s still early,” Isiah Kiner-Falefa said when asked about the Yankees’ nine-game lead over the Blue Jays in the American League East. “We have a long way to go, and that’s not the end goal. Our end goal is to get the big one.”
This is the fifth time in franchise history the Yankees have won at least 45 of their first 61 games and only the seventh time any major-league team has done it in the past 93 years.
Their 10 shutouts through 61 games are second only in franchise history to the 11 the 1958 Yankees had at this point.
Cole (6-1) did not allow a run in six innings after allowing seven runs — and five home runs — in 2 1/3 innings against the Twins on Thursday. He allowed five hits and one walk Tuesday, struck out seven and threw 92 pitches.
“Just a strong bounce-back for him to start off a big series for us,” said manager Aaron Boone, who cited Cole’s “command and location.” Cole agreed with that assessment.
Many of the Rays’ hits against him were on soft contact.
Cole and Rays starter Corey Kluber cruised through the early innings, and Kluber (3-3) ended up allowing as many earned runs as Cole in his six innings of work: none.
The Yankees did all the scoring in the fourth inning, helped by shoddy defense by Tampa Bay (35-26).
Giancarlo Stanton walked with one out, then Gleyber Torres reached base when Rays rightfielder Manuel Margot dropped a pop fly right at the foul line.
With two out, Kiner-Falefa singled to left, scoring Stanton easily. When the throw from leftfielder Randy Arozarena sailed over catcher Francisco Mejia’s head and Kluber was out of position to back up the play, Torres hustled home with the second run.
Boone later credited Torres with being a fearless baserunner but one who also takes chances intelligently.
The other key inning was the top of the sixth.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out. But Cole got Arozarena to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, prompting an excited reaction from Cole that included a fist pump on his way to the dugout.
The Yankees survived the inning in part by winning a replay challenge. Cole appeared to have thrown errantly to Torres at second base attempting a forceout, but upon review it was ruled Torres had kept a toe on the bag.
Boone said he was confident Torres had held the bag, and even left his interview table to demonstrate for reporters how such plays often are deceptive. “Unless you fall down or dive for it, you hold the bag,” he said.
Boone’s players were not so sure. In fact, they were sure the challenge was futile. “I had him 1,000% safe,” catcher Jose Trevino said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Clay Holmes pitched the ninth for his 10th save, and sixth since Aroldis Chapman went on the injured list May 24. He extended his scoreless innings streak to 29.
“Once we see him jog out, we know the game’s over,” Kiner-Falefa said.
Lately, that has been true when the all the Yankees jog out to start the game.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
