NEW YORK - Drew Rasmussen left the Yankees searching for a hit until the seventh, and by then the Tampa Bay Rays were closing in on a division title.
Rasmussen struck out 11 and allowed one hit over 6 2/3 innings Tuesday night as the Rays beat New York 6-1 in the second game of a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, clinching their fifth AL East championship. Per ESPN's box score, he walked three, threw a career-high 114 pitches (72 strikes), and improved to 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA.
The Associated Press reported he was nine outs from joining Matt Garza as the only Tampa Bay pitchers with a no-hitter when Heliot Ramos led off the seventh with a double on Rasmussen's 97th pitch. Garza's no-hitter came against Detroit on July 26, 2010, at Tropicana Field.
Division math, then the celebration
Tampa Bay (96-61) secured home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs and its first East title since the 100-win 2021 season. The Rays also won the division in the pandemic-shortened 2020 year and in 2010 and 2008, the AP noted. The win opened a six-game lead over the second-place Yankees (90-67) with five games left.
New York had delayed the party earlier Tuesday. Carlos Rodón threw eight innings of three-hit ball in a 2-0 Yankees win in the opener. Rasmussen answered in the nightcap.
One hit, 11 punchouts
Rasmussen threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of 24 hitters and posted his fourth career double-digit strikeout game, per the AP. He had allowed one hit in a start four times this season, including six one-hit innings against these Yankees on April 12.
After Ramos' double, Rasmussen retired the next two before walking Jazz Chisholm Jr. on a full count. Kevin Kelly entered and allowed George Lombard Jr.'s RBI single before retiring Austin Wells. Cam Booser and Bryan Baker each worked a scoreless inning to finish a three-hitter.
Max Fried (5-5) took the loss after 6 2/3 innings, four runs, and six hits. The Yankees were held to three hits or fewer for the 13th time this year, the AP reported.
