It was a busy day in Yankee land, as the Bombers won an early afternoon game against the Rangers, while also calling up one of the franchise’s more exciting prospects in Spencer Jones. It was an all around good win against Texas, as the Yanks were able to maintain their narrow lead in the East. Despite the action on the home front, there was plenty to take in elsewhere as well. Here’s a look at what went down on Thursday around the American League.
Tampa Bay Rays (25-12) 8, Boston Red Sox (16-22)
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Despite the final score, the Rays and Red Sox had a tight game going for much of the night on Thursday. After being knotted up for most of the game, late offense from Tampa Bay sealed the deal, as the Rays were able to keep pace with the New York.
The action started in the second inning, when the Rays kicked off scoring with a three piece, coming thanks to an RBI apiece from Ben Williamson, Cedric Mullins, and Yandy Díaz. But, with their backs against the wall early, the Sox countered with three of their own, due in part to some shaky Tampa Bay defense and a single from Caleb Durbin that tied the game. Not an ideal beginning for starters Jake Bennet and Jax Griffin.
Both hurlers, however, settled down in the middle innings, as the score remained knotted at three through the end of the fifth inning. The Rays made their move in the sixth, when the speedy Chandler Simpson poked a single up the middle that scored a pair of runs.
Two innings later, Simpson struck again, this time with a run-scoring triple to give Tampa Bay some insurance in the eighth. Boston countered with a quick run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Rays swung right back. With a runner on in the ninth, Junior Caminero pitched in with a rocket of a homer into center field. His 10th long ball of the season put them up 8-4.
With a four-run lead now in tow, the Rays sent out Cole Sulser to shut things down, and he promptly delivered a perfect ninth inning. With the win in Boston, the Rays keep up with the Yankees in the AL East, as they sit just a half game back.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (20-19) 8, Kansas City Royals (17-21) 5: The Guardians jumped out to an early lead and cruised to victory on Thursday. Kyle Manzardo was responsible for a two-run double in the first inning that saw Cleveland go up 3-0. They piled on later in the game, when Bo Naylor belted his second homer of the season in the seventh, a three-run shot. They also benefitted from a gritty start from Gavin Cecconi, who allowed 6 hits and three walks, but just a pair of runs in 5.1 innings.
Miami Marlins (17-21) 4, Baltimore Orioles (17-21) 3: After the O’s came back, they ultimately fell to the Fish in walk-off fashion on Thursday. The Marlins took an early lead thanks to a two-run shot from Liam Hicks, his ninth of the year. Down 3-1 in the middle innings, Baltimore eventually tied things up with an RBI from Tyler O’Neill and a two-run single from Pete Alonso a few innings later. Tied up in the ninth, it was the defense that failed the O’s as a throwing error from third baseman Coby Mayo allowed the walk-off run to score in the ninth.
