Rays 8, Yankees 1
NEW YORK -- Erasmo Ramirez and two relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Tampa Bay Rays ended a season-high seven-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.
Ramirez (7-3) went the first six innings, allowing designated hitter Alex Rodriguez's solo home run in the sixth among three hits. He improved to 7-2 in 10 starts since May 14 and that stretch began when he allowed a first-inning single to Jacoby Ellsbury and no other hits in five innings over the Yankees.
Ramirez kept the Yankees off-balance by effectively throwing his off-speed pitches. The most notable example of that was when he used his curveball to get center fielder Brett Gardner and Chase Headley for strikeouts to end the sixth.
The right-hander finished his second career start against the Yankees with three strikeouts and three walks. He also was charged for a fielding error but worked out of trouble as New York was hitless in six at-bats with men on base in the first six innings and 0-for-8 with men on overall.
Xavier Cedeno put two in with one out in the seventh via a wild pitch and a walk but started an inning-ending double play against third baseman Chase Headley, who at the time represented the tying run. After Tampa Bay's four-run eighth, Everett Teaford finished off Tampa Bay's most lopsided win since beating Minnesota by eight runs on May 17.
First baseman James Loney continued getting hits in New York with a two-run single in the first that was his 45th hit at Yankee Stadium. The Rays scored their next two runs on a sacrifice fly by catcher Curt Casali in the second and a throwing error by New York right-hander Ivan Nova (1-2) in the fifth.
The Rays capitalized on two errors by second baseman Jose Pirela for a 6-1 lead with nobody out in the second. Pirela was charged with two errors for bobbling a ground ball by Loney and making a wild throw past first base that went down the steps of New York's dugout.
Two pitches after the errors, second baseman Logan Forsythe blooped a single off Bryan Mitchell that stayed just fair and that allowed Longoria and Loney to score. Tampa Bay added two more runs off left-hander Chris Capuano on a bases-loaded walk by Casali and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.
In his third start off the disabled list, Nova allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in five innings.
NOTES: New York LHP Andrew Miller (forearm) will pitch an inning in a rehab appearance Monday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after throwing a bullpen session Saturday. ... Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said 1B/OF/DH John Jaso (left wrist contusion), who is making his first rehab appearance for Triple-A Durham may return during the series at Kansas City. ... Yankees CF Jacoby Ellsbury (right knee) went 0-for-3 with three groundouts in a rehab game for Class A Tampa and was scheduled to be the DH Sunday. ... Rays 3B Evan Longoria made his fourth start of the season at DH while SS Asdrbual Cabrera led off for the second time this season. ... Asked about RHP Chris Archer's candidacy for the All-Star game, Cash said it's a "no brainer."