St. Petersburg, FL – We’re going streaking! Well, kind of. More like, “we’re going sweeping”? The Rays completed the weekend sweep of the Bronx Bombers with a 12th inning walk-off dong, courtesy of Rays rookie first baseman Jake “Rake” Bauers. The dude was majestic with the swing and Carter-like in his trip around the bases. I still believe there is no better feeling than a walk-off bomb. Change my mind.

The Rays handed the Bombers their first three-game losing streak of the season. Dropping the Yanks to 50-25 this season and back into a first-place tie with the Red Sox. Adding insult to injury, Yanks catcher Gary Sanchez appears to be heading to the DL after injuring his groin in the 10th, running out a grounder. Adjust your fantasy rosters as needed.

Rays bounced back nicely after only winning two games during their recent seven-game road trip through New York and Houston. They feasted on some nice home cooking too, outscoring the Yanks 13-7 in the three-game set. The win marked the second time in Rays history that they swept a series of three games or more against a team that entered the series with the best record in the Majors. It also happened June 17-19, 2008, against the Cubs — in a season when the Rays ultimately reached the World Series.

Giancarlo Stanton cranks a solo home run to tie the game 6-6. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/wrJtw6bfK0 — Patrick Hennessy (@TrueHennessy) June 24, 2018

Former Marlins great Giancarlo Stanton had a nice day at the plate in the finale, collecting five hits and his 19th home run of the season as well. Another former Marlin, Adeiny Hechavarria, also turned on one sending it up, up and away for his fourth blast of the season. The Cuban shortstop normally doesn’t show that kind of pop in his swing. That’s only his 26th in his now eight season in the majors. Again, home run, change my mind.

The Rays now open a two-game series against the Nationals at Tropicana Field on Monday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay will start Blake Snell (9-4, 2.48 ERA), who got the win on Wednesday at Houston despite issuing a career-high seven walks. They finish the homestand with a four-game weekend set vs. the Stros starting Thursday. Let’s see if the friendly confines of the Trop continue to sprinkle the W’s for the Rays.

Game Notes

In the “you don’t see that every day” category, Yankees pinch-hitter Clint Frazier led off the eighth with a towering shot to left field. Off the bat, it looked like a sure home run. But it struck a speaker dangling from the “B” ring catwalk and caromed back toward short left field, where it was deftly caught by Hechavarria. According to Tropicana Field ground rules, any fair ball that strikes the “B” ring is in play.

Yankees should play the rest of the season in protest after the Trop ate Clint Frazier’s game-winning bomb pic.twitter.com/GpsNdZ6ln9 — 12up (@12upSport) June 25, 2018



Photo Credit – Mary Holt | Instagram | Twitter

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