Diaz leads Tampa Bay Rays to 7-2 win over Yankees

Yandy Diaz homered twice and drove in a career-high four runs as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 7-2 on Saturday night in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Yankees lost for only the seventh time in their past 24 games. Diaz hit a solo homer in the third off CC Sabathia and then drove in Tampa Bay's final three runs with a drive off Nestor Cortes with two outs in the eighth.

The Rays took a 4-2 lead in the sixth on consecutive RBI infield singles by Willy Adames and Ji-Man Choi off Jonathan Holder (2-1). Adames snapped a 2-2 tie with a single on a ground ball that second baseman DJ LeMahieu fielded to the left side of the bag but could not make a throw after making a diving stop. The hit allowed Avisail Garcia to score after he opened the inning with single, advancing to third on a throwing error by catcher Gary Sanchez after stealing second base.

With a 3-2 lead, Choi hit a grounder that LeMahieu fielded while shifted into right field, but his throw on the run short-hopped first baseman Luke Voit as Guillermo Heredia scored from second. Garcia also homered off Sabathia for Tampa Bay, which collected 10 hits and went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position after going 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position in its previous two games. Four pitchers combined to limit the Yankees to two runs on five hits. Ryne Stanek served as the opener for the 10th time as Tampa Bay. He allowed a hit and threw 26 pitches in two scoreless innings.

Yonny Chirinos (5-1) allowed two runs on four hits in the next four innings and picked up the win when the Rays scored twice in the sixth. Diego Castillo tossed two perfect innings, and Jose Alvarado finished in a non-save situation. Clint Frazier had an RBI double in the fifth and LeMahieu homered an inning later for the Yankees. Sabathia remained two shy of 250 career victories, allowing two runs on three hits in five innings. He walked four. 

(With inputs from agencies.)