Masahiro Tanaka had his fourth shutout in the majors against the Rays on Monday. He threw 76 of 111 pitches for strikes, allowing two
Masahiro Tanaka pitched two batters for his fourth major league shutout, striking out 10, and the host Yankees lost to 3 on Monday night. Beat the Tampa Bay Rays 0-0 to increase their lead in the AL East.
DJ LeMahieu hit a two-run homer against Yonny Chirinos and Cameron Maybin hit his third straight game. That was all the dominant Tanaka (5-5) needed, and he threw 76 of 111 pitches in his seventh complete game since coming over from Japan.
Edwin Encarnacion received a loud ovation from fans in his Yankees debut after being acquired from Seattle in a trade Saturday night. Beating fifth as the designated hitter, Encarnacion allowed four runs with a strikeout for the first time.
doesn't care. The Yankees won the opener of the three-game series, a game and a half ahead of the second-place Rays.
Maybin, whose days in the pinstripes may have been numbered, went 3-for-3 with 2 singles. He homered to lead off the fifth inning and scored twice on LeMahieu's third inning.
Tanaka retired his first nine batters, then Austin Meadows picked hard off the right field wall to start the fourth at-bat. Willy Adames had a two-run shot in the fifth, Tampa Bay's only other run of the game.
Lemahieu moved from third base and made a diving stop up the middle to start a slick power play that drew a wave of gratitude from Tanaka.
Tanaka walked just one and laid down his final 10 Rays batters, striking out six.
Chirinos (7-3) gave up five hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked one.
