Boone Gets Hot, Yankee Bats Do Same, Beat Rays

Last night, even though it wasn't raining at gametime, the Yankees looked at the weather reports, and decided to postpone their game against the Tampa Bay Rays until 3:05 this afternoon.

This afternoon, at 3:05, there was no rain, but the tarp was on the field, and the game was delayed. And it looked like there would be rain later on, so it looked like both games might be rained out, to be postponed until the next Bronx Yanks-Rays series -- September 24 and 25.

But the 1st game got underway anyway. And it was hot. Not as hot as it was 20 years ago today, July 18, 1999, when the Yankees held a ceremony honoring Yogi Berra, and David Cone pitched a perfect game against the Montreal Expos.

And not as hot as Aaron Boone got under the collar. Home plate umpire Brennan Miller was giving Rays starter Yonny Chirinos a very wide strike zone, shades of the late Eric Gregg. Finally, he argued, and got tossed.

That may have lit a spark under the Yankees. After Domingo German gave up a pair of solo home runs in the 1st inning, it was all Yankees the rest of the way. Didi Gregorius led off the 2nd inning by reaching on an error, and Gio Urshela hit a game-tying homer.

Aaron Judge led off the 5th with a single to center. Aaron Hicks hit a ground rule double. After Edwin Encarnacion struck out, Gary Sanchez grounded to 3rd. The only play was to 1st, and Sanchez beat it out, Judge scored, and the Yankees took the lead. After Gregorius popped up, Luke Voit singled Hicks home, and Urshela doubled Sanchez home. Hicks added a homer in the 6th.

Following his bad 1st inning, German settled down, going 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 5. Tommy Kahnle pitched a hitless 7th, Zack Britton struck out the side in a perfect 8th, and David Hale pitched a scoreless 9th.

Yankees 6, Rays 2. WP: German (12-2). No save. LP: Chirinos (8-5).

For the moment, the Yankees lead the American League Eastern Division by 7 games over the Rays, 9 in the loss column; and 9 1/2 over the Boston Red Sox, 11 in the loss column.

Presuming they can get it in -- there's still dark clouds over Central Jersey, and The Bronx doesn't look a whole lot less threatening -- the Yankees will go for 3 out of 4 in the series in a few minutes. Chad Green will be the opener, against Charlie Morton.