The Rays needed a win and they played well on Thursday night while the hapless Yanks played like they had a plane to catch. Okay, that’s not fair. Maybe it just seemed that way. Scott Kazmir was solid, allowing just one hit over six innings, though he did walk five batters. But Darrell Rasner didn’t make it out of the second inning and gave up five runs. Alfredo Aceves threw five innings in relief, giving up just one run and was a bright spot, and the Yanks did make it interesting late.
Tampa led 7-0 going into the ninth but the Yanks scored five runs before calling it a night: with two out, Derek Jeter smacked a three-run homer to right and then Alex Rodriguez hit an absolute blast into the catwalk in left. Rodriguez’s shot was dumb nice, career dinger #550. But it was too little too late, the story of the Yankees’ season, as Xavier Nady popped out to end the game.
So our boys take the long cross-country flight to Seattle where Melky Cabrera will re-join the team. Speaking of cross country, check out this soporific soul classic by Archie Whitewater, the perfect lullaby for a long trip:
