Drew Rasmussen stifles Yankees again in one-sided Rays win

The Rays’ pitching ain’t the A’s pitching.

The Yankees quickly realized that during Thursday’s series-opener, as Tampa Bay came an out away from shutting the Bombers out at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees had just spent three days battering an awful Oakland club and were looking forward to a four-game rematch with the first-place Rays, but Drew Rasmussen had no issues in an 8-2 win for Tampa Bay.

The right-handed Rasmussen blanked the Yankees for the second time in less than a week, twirling seven economical innings while walking none and striking out seven over 76 pitches. The Yanks made plenty of hard contact against Rasmussen, but two Jake Bauers singles were all they had to show for it.

After 21 career innings against the Yankees, Rasmussen has yet to surrender a run to the division rival.

The Yankees’ starter, Domingo German, offered a valiant effort himself, allowing three hits, two runs, one earned, three walks and three strikeouts over 5.2 innings and 87 pitches.

The Rays’ first run came on a double from Yandy Diaz, which brought Josh Lowe home with two outs. Lowe reached on a one-out error from Anthony Rizzo.

Aaron Boone then opted to pull German with two outs in the sixth following a walk to Taylor Walls. The manager asked Ron Marinaccio to record the final out, but a Luke Raley single and Manuel Margot hit-by-pitch set the stage for Lowe to hit a bases-clearing double. Just like that, it was 4-0.

[ Yankees Notebook: Another bullpen move brings Ryan Weber back ]

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Walls then plated another run with a double off Albert Abreu in the seventh before Lowe crushed a two-run homer with Ryan Weber pitching the eighth. Isaac Paredes added an RBI double.

Gleyber Torres brought two home for the Yankees with two out in the ninth, but it was too little, too late.

The Yankees, fresh off a sweep of the A’s and trying to fight their way out of the American League East’s basement, were eager for another series with the Rays after losing two-out-of-three at Tropicana Field last weekend. The teams played three one-run games, but Thursday’s contest was hardly as competitive.

The Yankees will get another crack at Tampa Bay when Gerrit Cole takes the mound Friday. The ace has been dominant overall this season, but he gave up a 6-0 lead to the Rays last Sunday.

Tampa Bay hadn’t announced its Friday pitching plans at the time of publication.

The Rays’ own No. 1, Shane McClanahan, is scheduled to start opposite Nestor Cortes on Saturday. Then Zach Eflin and Clarke Schmidt will take the mound on Mother’s Day.

The Rays could be without star shortstop Wander Franco in the coming days, as he left Thursday’s game with right-side neck spasms and tightness. The Rays planned on reevaluating him Friday.