Yankees Beat Rain and Rays

There were 3 rain delays in last night's game at Yankee Stadium II. Such delays can kill a leading team's momentum. It's already come back to bite the Yankees once this season.

Not this time. Coming off the previous night's walkoff home run by Tyler Austin against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning, scored 2 in the 3rd on another home run by Gary Sanchez, and 4 in the 4th, on a grand slam by Mark Teixeira.

Sanchez now has 12 home runs on the season, the same number that Teix has of "Teix Messages," in far fewer at-bats.

But Michael Pineda couldn't get out of the 5th inning. The September roster expansion means that Joe Girardi has a bit more flexibility with the bullpen. But Chasen Shreve was also shaky. He and Pineda each allowed the last-place Rays 2 runs.

The much-maligned Adam Warren came in, and settled things down. Since Pineda fell 1 out short of the 5-inning requirement for a starter, he could not be officially declared the winning pitcher even though the Yankees led when he left the game.

Dellin Betances let in a run in the 9th, after the last rain delay, but that was enough to seal the win. Yankees 7, Rays 5. WP: Warren (5-3). SV: Betances (10). LP: Snell (5-8).

For the 1st time all season, the Yankees are 10 games over .500. I guess A-Rod was the drag on us.

The Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays, so the Yankees remain 4 games out in the American League Eastern Division. However, the Baltimore Orioles lost, so the Yankees move to within 1 game of the 2nd AL Wild Card slot. There are 20 games to go.

The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming...

The series continues this afternoon, first pitch at 4:05 PM. Opposing pitchers: Masahiro Tanaka vs. Chris Archer.