Anthony Rizzo’s glorious walk-off homer delivers Yankees’ sweep of Rays

This. Is. A. TEAM! On a night where Luis Severino couldn’t pitch due to an illness, the New York Yankees overcame the odds and completed the sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Unfair for Tampa. Upsetting stuff for them. When you can’t hit Clarke Schmidt, Ryan Weber and Ron Marinaccio, well, we don’t know what to tell ya. And no amount Yandy Diaz complaining was going to change that.

In another largely boring affair, the Yankees took home their 14th win in 15 tries (and seventh straight) on Thursday thanks to a gutsy showing from the pitching staff and the clutch bat of Anthony Rizzo.

With the Yankees trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Judge worked walks. Rizzo brought home the tying run with a two-out single to right field.

Then, in the bottom of the ninth, after Judge sent one high into right field that got everyone excited for nothing but an out, Rizzo allowed Yankee Stadium to release that energy.

He put one over the fence four pitches later. 392 feet to right field. Game over. Could it have been any more in his wheelhouse?

Anthony Rizzo helped the Yankees sweep the Rays on Thursday with a walk-off homer

This game had seven total hits and three total runs. Rizzo produced two of the hits and two of the runs. Schmidt, Weber, Marinaccio and Michael King allowed just one run across nine innings of work and surrendered just three hits and two walks.

Schmidt was called upon to start just hours prior once Severino was placed on the COVID-19 list. Weber was promoted from Triple-A to fulfill the corresponding roster move. They combined for 6.2 innings and one run on three hits and a walk. Couldn’t have asked for more.

The Yankees just began their toughest stretch of their first-half schedule with a 3-0 record against a team that’s largely had their number the past two seasons.

One of the most uneventful sweeps in recent memory was capped with an electrifying moment. The loud fans were waiting all night for their efforts to be justified and Rizzo ensured they’d be rewarded … twice.

Eight runs in three games took care of the Rays. Somebody want to tell Diaz it’s not the umps’ fault when you score only four over that span?

Yankees’ pitching plans change after Luis Severino tests positive for COVID-19

The New York Yankees are losing Luis Severino to the COVID-19 list and Clarke Schmidt will start vs the Rays on Thursday night.