TAMPA — The Yankees were two-hit again on Saturday, as Tyler Glasnow and the Rays silenced the Bombers’ bats in a 3-0, series-tying win at Tropicana Field.
Glasnow did not overpower the Yankees like he did on July 31, when he struck out eight while allowing three hits and one earned run over seven innings at Yankee Stadium. But the Rays righty limited the Yankees’ traffic on the bases on Saturday, holding them to one hit while issuing two walks and four strikeouts over six scoreless innings and 85 pitches.
Saturday marked the sixth time that the Yankees have been held hitless through at least five innings this season. That is tied with the Twins for the most in the majors, according to statistician Katie Sharp.
The Yankees’ only hits came courtesy of DJ LeMahieu, who singled in the sixth and ninth innings.
The Yankees lineup’s lifelessness was nothing new, as the last-place team has now been two-hit or worse in four games since Aug. 15. That stretch began with Bryce Elder and the Braves one-hitting the Yanks. The Red Sox and Nationals also got in on the action on Aug. 19 and Aug 22, respectively.
While the offense struggled to produce again, Clarke Schmidt kept the Yankees in the game and recorded the longest start of his career. The right-hander totaled 6.1 innings, six hits, three runs, one earned, zero walks, five strikeouts and 99 pitches.
The Rays scored two in the second inning on a pair of sac flies from Harold Ramírez and Jonathan Aranda. Those followed an Isiah Kiner-Falefa error at third base.
Josh Lowe then doubled a run home in the third inning when Harrison Bader appeared to lose track of the ball beneath The Trop’s catwalks and off-white ceiling.
With the series knotted, the Yankees will send Carlos Rodón to the mound for Sunday’s finale. The southpaw logged one of his better pitching lines in pinstripes last time out, as the Nationals scored just one run over six innings. However, Rodón benefited from strong defense and some questionable baserunning decisions on Washington’s part.
The Rays will present a tougher test for the pitcher, who has a 6.27 ERA this year. The Yankees, meanwhile, are looking for their second series win since July began.
Zack Littell will start for Tampa Bay. The righty has 4.27 ERA over 52.2 innings for the Rays and Red Sox this year.
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