The pesky Rays put all the pressure on the big, bad New York Yankees.
asserted
Rays → put → Yankees
Richie Palacios hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning and Tampa Bay took advantage of New York’s sloppy defense, beating Cam Schlittler and the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
asserted
Bay → hit → Series
The Rays are one victory from reaching the American League Championship Series.
asserted
Rays → reach → Series
“That’s a byproduct of having a really good clubhouse and a bunch of selfless teammates,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
asserted
Cash → ’ → teammates
“They don’t care who gets it done.
asserted
it → care → ?
They just want to get it done.
asserted
it → want → ?
The biggest cheerleaders are coming from the guys within the dugout.
asserted
cheerleaders → come → dugout
Good teams do not rely on just one or two people.
asserted
teams → rely → people
We rely on all nine in the lineup, the guys on the bench and certainly our entire pitching staff.”
asserted
We → rely → bench
Ben Rice homered twice for the Yankees, who are on the verge of elimination — which would extend their drought without a World Series championship to 17 seasons.
asserted
which → homer → seasons
They were dominated by Drew Rasmussen in the series opener and have scored just two runs in two playoff games against the AL East champion Rays with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.
asserted
They → dominate → injury
“Well, we’ve got to win.
asserted
we → get → ?
We’ve got to play the first inning of Game 3,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
asserted
Boone → get → 3
“We’ve got to come out and play well.
asserted
We → get → ?
So we’ve responded all year.
asserted
we → respond → ?
We need to do it again.
asserted
We → need → it
Obviously, we need to play better and it starts with just one at a time.
asserted
it → need → time
I don’t even get ahead of myself and win three.
asserted
I → get → three
We’ve got to go win one and we’ve got to play better Wednesday night to make that happen.
asserted
that → get → one
”
The small-ball Rays chased Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth aided by New York’s defensive miscues.
asserted
Rays → chase → miscues
Jonathan Aranda lined a single to start the inning and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center.
asserted
Caminero → line → center
With the infield drawn-in except second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a slow bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead.
asserted
that → draw → lead
Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that shortstop George Lombard Jr. flubbed, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1.
asserted
Jr. → hit → it
It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder’s choice.
asserted
It → rule → error
Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr.
asserted
Headrick → replace → Schlittler
After Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard’s throw to first was wide for New York’s fourth error.
asserted
throw → steal → error
Palacios followed with a hard single to center that increased Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-1.
asserted
that → follow → 5
“It was just one of those games things kind of compiled and stacked up on top of each other,” Lombard said.
asserted
Lombard → compile → other
We put ourselves in a bad spot.”
asserted
We → put → spot
Freddy Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, Cam Booser pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and Ian Seymour gave up one run in three innings.
asserted
Seymour → allow → innings
Bryan Baker finished with a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.
asserted
Baker → finish → games
Schlittler, who was 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and dominated Boston in the opener of the wild-card round, lasted 4 1/3 innings.
asserted
who → dominate → innings
He allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits while striking out only two.
asserted
He → allow → two
Rice sent a 2-2 changeup into the right-field seats to tie it at 1 in the fourth, ending New York’s scoreless drought in the ALDS.
asserted
Rice → send → ALDS
Rice hit 41 homers in the regular season.
asserted
Rice → hit → season
His drive awakened Yankees fans in the ballpark, who were drowned out by Rays fans until that point.
asserted
who → awaken → point
But a sellout crowd of 40,226 was mostly full of cowbell-ringing Rays fans who reveled in New York’s misery.
asserted
who → ring → misery
Peralta retired the first two batters in the fifth before Austin Wells ripped a double and Ryan McMahon walked.
asserted
McMahon → retire → double
Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases but the lefty escaped when Cody Bellinger flied out to the warning track in center.
asserted
Bellinger → replace → center
The Yankees made three errors in the first inning but Schlittler limited the Rays to one run.
asserted
Schlittler → make → run
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
