ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Yankees arrived at Tropicana Field on Tuesday in hopes of snapping out of their weeks-long funk.
They even took a lead in the top of the first inning.
But the good feelings did not last long, as a troubling trend continued to sink the Yankees further into their skid.
Carlos Rodon gave up four runs before he recorded an out, putting the Yankees into another early hole they could not climb out of as they fell to the Rays 5-3.
With Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman among those in attendance, the Yankees (55-38) lost for the 17th time in their last 23 games as Rodon’s early dependence on his fastball backfired once again.
Ben Rice clubbed a two-run home run off lefty reliever Colin Poche in the seventh inning to pull the Yankees within a run at 4-3.
But that was as close as they would get as the Rays (45-46) snapped their own three-game losing streak.
Before the game, Cashman met with reporters and acknowledged the Yankees’ struggles while expressing confidence they could turn it around.
But they fell flat in their latest chance to do so.
Handed a 1-0 lead before he took the mound, Rodon quickly gave it back.
Yandy Diaz led off with a single and then came around to score when Randy Arozarena roped a double down the left-field line that Alex Verdugo had trouble fielding cleanly in the corner.
Amed Rosario followed with a single before Rodon left a 96 mph fastball at the bottom of the zone that Isaac Paredes drilled for a three-run homer to left field for the 4-1 lead.
From there — after throwing fastballs for nine of his first 14 pitches — Rodon began to settle in a bit while mixing in more of his secondary pitches, including an effective changeup (that generated seven whiffs on 26 pitches).
Still, the left-hander lasted just four innings because he needed 95 pitches to record 12 outs — using 30 pitches in the first inning and 31 in the third.