Drew Rasmussen took a no-hitter into the eighth inning on Saturday night and, with a little help from a third-inning solo home run, carried the Tampa Bay Rays to a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Division Series in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Rasmussen did not allow a hit through seven and two-thirds scoreless innings. Austin Wells broke up the no-hit bid with a blast down the right-field line in the eighth, but his attempt to stretch the double into a triple was cut down to end the inning. That was the lone hit Rasmussen allowed. He struck out 10 batters across eight innings, walked two, and retired the final 16 batters he faced.
One swing settles it
The game's only run came in the third inning, when Jonathan Aranda deposited a 2-2 changeup from Gerrit Cole over the wall in right-center field. It was one of five hits for Tampa Bay on the night. Cole took the loss, permitting one run on five hits in five innings.
Bryan Baker closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two batters to secure his first career postseason save.
Yankees bats go quiet
The shutout was a stunning reversal for a Yankees lineup that had outscored the Boston Red Sox 18-2 and out-hit them 26-7 in a two-game wild-card sweep. Captain Aaron Judge was left off New York's roster for the ALDS; the three-time AL MVP has not played since September 16 with a strained right calf, landed on the injured list three days later, and missed the wild-card sweep.
Rasmussen has been a nightmare for the Yankees all season. He dominated them in three of four regular-season meetings, including a one-run, one-hit, 11-strikeout performance over six and two-thirds innings in a 6-1 win on September 22 that clinched the AL East title for Tampa Bay. Saturday's outing was the deepest no-hit bid in franchise history and the deepest a Yankees team has ever been no-hit into a postseason game.
The Rays take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 2 is on Monday in St. Petersburg.
Sources:
Reuters: Drew Rasmussen dominates, Rays stifle Yankees to win ALDS opener
Rasmussen did not allow a hit through seven and two-thirds scoreless innings. Austin Wells broke up the no-hit bid with a blast down the right-field line in the eighth, but his attempt to stretch the double into a triple was cut down to end the inning. That was the lone hit Rasmussen allowed. He struck out 10 batters across eight innings, walked two, and retired the final 16 batters he faced.
One swing settles it
The game's only run came in the third inning, when Jonathan Aranda deposited a 2-2 changeup from Gerrit Cole over the wall in right-center field. It was one of five hits for Tampa Bay on the night. Cole took the loss, permitting one run on five hits in five innings.
Bryan Baker closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two batters to secure his first career postseason save.
Yankees bats go quiet
The shutout was a stunning reversal for a Yankees lineup that had outscored the Boston Red Sox 18-2 and out-hit them 26-7 in a two-game wild-card sweep. Captain Aaron Judge was left off New York's roster for the ALDS; the three-time AL MVP has not played since September 16 with a strained right calf, landed on the injured list three days later, and missed the wild-card sweep.
Rasmussen has been a nightmare for the Yankees all season. He dominated them in three of four regular-season meetings, including a one-run, one-hit, 11-strikeout performance over six and two-thirds innings in a 6-1 win on September 22 that clinched the AL East title for Tampa Bay. Saturday's outing was the deepest no-hit bid in franchise history and the deepest a Yankees team has ever been no-hit into a postseason game.
The Rays take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 2 is on Monday in St. Petersburg.
Sources:
Reuters: Drew Rasmussen dominates, Rays stifle Yankees to win ALDS opener
