Yankees Run Support Evades Eovaldi As Rays Win

The New York Yankees fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Nathan Eovaldi, who has enjoyed strong run support all season, took the loss.

Kevin Kiermaier singled to right field to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in the second. Second baseman Brendan Ryan lunged to his left, but was unable to grab the ball as it bounced by.

Eovaldi lost his command in the third. His trouble started when he walked Daniel Nava. Nava moved to second base when Evan Longoria took a fastball on his elbow. Longoria would later leave the game with a bruised forearm. His initial status is day to day.

Grady Sizemore followed with a walk to load the bases. The Rays´threat was manufactured without the benefit of a hit. But when Asdrubal Cabrera singled to bring home two runs, Tampa had built a 3-0 lead. The Yankees may have missed an opportunity to cut down the second runner, but Carlos Beltran bobbled the ball in right field, allowing the second run to score with out a play at the plate.

But the Yankees got both runs back in the fifth inning off of Rays´starter Matt Moore. John Ryan Murphy walked to get the rally started. Didi Gregorius hit a one-hop double off the left field wall that sent Murphy hustling all the way around to score. A Ryan ground out moved Gregorius to third. Brett Gardner then grounded out as well, and Didi scored to make it 3-2.

In the eighth, Chase Headley singled to left. Greg Bird followed with a long single to give the Yankees runners on first and third. Brian McCann worked a pinch hit walk to load the bases. Gregorius then hit the ball hard once again. But his liner was caught by Logan Forsythe to end the inning.

Eovaldi left with one out in the sixth. He allowed three runs on five hits with seven strike outs. He struggled often with his control, allowing four walks. With Toronto´s win over Baltimore, the Yankees are now a game and a half behind the Blue Jays, remaining in second place in the American League East.