Swamigp’s Weblog

The Tampa Bay Rays demolished the Yankees pitching ensemble by punching out 15 hits en route to a 13-4 blowout win. After getting a run in the opening inning on a Cliff Floyd two out rbi single, the rays took it to rookie Ian Kennedy, scoring 5 times in the 3rd inning to jump out to a lead they wouldn’t surrender. Shawn Riggans, the Rays backup catcher took advantage of his first experience with the bases loaded by knocking a 3 run double to deep center field to break open the game and send Kennedy to the showers early. Lead off hitter Akinori Iwamura set the stage for the onslaught, getting on base in all 5 plate appearances to help the Rays impose their will. 7 players for Tampa Bay had at least one rbi, taking a balanced attack in each of their outbursts. After the Yankees pitching held the Rays scoreless over the next 4 innings, Tampa Bay had the pleasure of facing middle reliever LaTroy Hawkins in the top of the eight. They slaughtered Hawkins for 6 earned runs on 6 hits in just 2/3 of an inning to give them a more comfortable lead. Cliff Floyd started the scoring once again, by hitting a frozen rope over the right field fence. After Hawkins got Shawn Riggans to ground out for the second out of the inning, the Rays went to business. A double by Eric Hinske and a single by Nathan Haynes, set up a 2 run single by shortstop Jason Bartlett to make the score 10-4. Iwamura and Carl Crawford followed with singles, then Carlos Pena lowered the sledgehammer, hitting a 3-run, upper deck shot for the final margin. Starting pitcher Andy Sonnanstine didn’t seem phased by the Yankees lineup, going 6 innings, allowing 4 runs (all in the third inning), no walks and 4 strikeouts to get the win.

The Yankees bounced back after the rough top of the third inning, by scoring 4 runs of their own in the bottom half to put the game within striking distance. The Yankees hit for the cycle in that inning, starting with a lead off homer by Hideki Matsui, then Jose Molina, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi followed by going double, triple, single double to round out the scoring for New York. Ian Kennedy, the Yankees young starter didn’t have command of his pitches at all after playing extremely well in spring training. To go along with the 6 runs that he allowed in his short outing, he also gave up 4 walks that expended the rallies for the Rays. Of the 13 runs that Yankee pitching gave up, 7 of them came after two were out.

The Yankees will send Andy Pettitte to the hill on Saturday, after missing his first start with an injury.