Masahiro Tanaka Punches Out 9 In 3-Hit Complete Game Shutout Over Tampa
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka pitched a three-hitter, Austin Romine drove in two runs as the replacement for again-injured catcher Gary Sanchez and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Tanaka (8-2) retired his first 12 batters before C.J. Cron singled leading off the fifth. He struck out nine and walked one, improving to 6-0 on the road.
It was the sixth major league complete game and third shutout for Tanaka, his first complete game since a three-hit shutout at Boston on April 27 last year.
Tanaka walked Ji-Man Choi after Cron's fifth-inning hit but escaped damage by striking out Daniel Robertson and getting speedy Mallex Smith to hit into a 3-6-1 double play.
Romine hit a run-scoring groundout in the fifth inning and a sacrifice fly during the seventh.
Sanchez was put back on the 10-day disabled list before the game because of a strained right groin, a day after failing to hustle on a pair of key plays in a 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay. Sanchez missed 20 games from June 25 to July 19 because of the groin injury.
New York is just 14-13 in its last 27 games, a stretch that began Tampa Bay took a three-game series from New York June 22-24.
Yankees second baseman Brandon Drury left in fifth with a bruised left hand. He was hit by a Chirinos pitch, initially stayed in the game but departed after advancing to third on Neil Walker's single. The Yankees said X-rays were negative.
Yonny Chirinos (0-2), recalled from Triple-A Durham to fill-in for injured AL All-Star Blake Snell, allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. Snell has left shoulder fatigue, and the Rays hope he will miss just one start.
New York got RBI singles from Didi Gregorius in the first and Walker in the ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: 2B Gleyber Torres (right hip strain) went 0 for 2 with a walk during a five-inning stint as the DH in his third game with Class A Tampa and is expected to be activated from the 10-day DL Wednesday. . CF Aaron Hicks got the day off after getting banged up sliding into second base Monday.
Rays: C Wilson Ramos (left hamstring strain) could be back in early August. . Reliever Jonny Venters (right hamstring strain) allowed two hits, a walk and struck out three over a scoreless inning for Class A Charlotte in what may have been his final rehab outing.
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
Rays manager Kevin Cash expects moves ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
"I would say in all honestly we're going to be very active," Cash said. "I know there's teams calling non-stop." Starting pitchers Chris Archer and Nathan Eovaldi, closer Sergio Romo, SS Adeiny Hechavarria and Ramos have all been scouted by playoff contenders.
UP NEXT
Eovaldi (3-4) and Yankees RHP Luis Cessa (1-1) are Wednesday's scheduled starters.
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