Rays clinch AL East with 6-1 victory over Yankees

Drew Rasmussen on Tuesday allowed his only hit in the seventh inning and struck out 11 as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 6-1 in the second game of a day-night doubleheader to clinch their fifth American League East title.

The Rays (96-61) secured home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs and took their first division crown since 2021, when they won 100 games. Tampa Bay also earned AL East championships in the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 season along with 2010 and 2008, when the team had its first winning season after entering the league as an expansion franchise in 1998.

Yandy Diaz hit two-run single off reliever John Schreiber in the seventh and had another two-run single in the ninth for his AL-leading 175th hit. Tampa Bay opened a six-game lead over the second-place Yankees (90-67) with five to play.

Tampa Bay Rays players and personnel pose for a photo after defeating the New York Yankees and clinching the MLB American League East division title at Yankee Stadium in New York on Tuesday.

Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In the opener, Carlos Rodon allowed three hits in eight sharp innings as New York delayed Tampa Bay’s division celebration with a 2-0 victory.

Taylor Walls started the three-run seventh with a bunt single against Max Fried (5-5) when first base was left uncovered. Ryan Vilade hit an RBI groundout in the third after Diaz’s flyball moved runners to second and third.

Rasmussen (16-5) was nine outs from joining Matt Garza as Tampa Bay pitchers with a no-hitter when he gave up a leadoff double to Heliot Ramos on his 97th pitch. Garza held the Detroit Tigers hitless at Tropicana Field on July 26, 2010.

After allowing Ramos’ hit to left field, Rasmussen got the next two outs before walking Jazz Chisholm Jr on a full count. Kevin Kelly entered and permitted rookie George Lombard Jr’s RBI single before retiring Austin Wells on a groundout.

Rasmussen threw a career-high 114 pitches, 72 for strikes. He threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of 24 hitters and notched his fourth career double-digit strikeout game.

Rasmussen allowed one hit for the fourth time this year. He also yielded just one hit in six innings against the Yankees on April 12.

Cam Booser and Bryan Baker pitched an inning apiece to finish the three-hitter.

Fried allowed four runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

The Yankees were held to three hits or fewer for the 13th time this year.