NEW YORK – The New York Yankees, last in their division, suffered their fifth straight loss in a game in which Yoshi Tsutsugo broke the deadlock with a double over Gerrit Cole in the seventh inning that led to the Rays of Tampa Bay to a 4-2 victory Sunday to sweep the three-game series.
Four pitchers combined to throw an unstoppable three-pointer for the Rays for the second time in a series in which the Yankees added just 11 hits.
Cole (2-1) was hampered by a poor defense that made three errors just in the third inning, two of them from center fielder Aaron Hicks and another from Clint Frazier on the left prairie.
One of the three races Cole conceded was dirty, and the Yankees lead Major Leagues in that department with 10.
Joey Wendle added a home run in the ninth inning against Darren O’Day, triggering a new wave of boos from the 10,606 fans.
Tampa Bay has won 16 of its last 21 games against the Yankees, including last season’s Divisional Series.
New York has five straight losses since Sept. 8, and has been beaten 30-14 in that span. The Yankees started 5-10 for the first time since 1997, when they finished behind Baltimore in the division with 99-66.
Aaron Judge struck out three times and has four hits in his last 28 innings. Hicks has an unstoppable in his last 15 innings, Gleyber Torres 3 in his last 24 and Giancarlo Stanton, despite his home run in the second episode is 3 in his last 26. Clint Frazier barely has a hit in his 24 most recent rounds and there has been no run in his 40 appearances on the plate this campaign.
The Rays swept the series for the second time in their last three visits to Yankee Stadium, after having just two in their 51 previous series of at least three games in the Bronx.
Ryan Yarbrough (2-1) came on after designated opener Andrew Kittredge and allowed one run and two hits in five episodes. Dominican Diego Castell pulled off 4 outs and Jeffrey Springs withdrew in order the ninth episode for his first major league rescue.
For the Rays, the Cuban Yandy Díaz 3-1 with a boost. The Dominican Manuel Margot 3-0 with a produced.
For the Yankees, the Venezuelans Gleyber Torres 4-0 and Rougned Odor 3-0. Colombian Gio Urshela 4-1 with a score.