Rays: 7, Yankees: 4 - Revenge is best served with a series win

2 Randy steals + 4 HBP = 2 bench clearings

Rays try to salvage a series win, and keep up with the Orioles. Lets see how both lineups stack up:

Zach Littell was sharp to start the game, sitting the Yankees batters down 1-2-3, and the Rays opened their half of the 1st inning with a single by Randy Arozarena. With one out, and Brandon Lowe at the plate, Randy stole second and then scored. Best to show you.

One out later, Brandon Lowe was all over a Carlos Rondon fastball and deposited a HR to the Rays tank and give the Rays a 2-0 lead.

I wonder, does the Randy run count now as an earned run?

B. Lowe’s HR was 105.5 MPH off the bat, and travelled 433 ft according to Statcast. A HR in all 30 parks.

Rays got more traffic on the basepaths, with a hit by pitch of Basabe, and a single by Raley, but Rays couldn’t capitalize further.

Rays lead 2-0.

In the 3rd inning, Yankees made up the difference on two back-to-back HR by Kyle Higashioka and DJ LeMahieu to tie the game at 2.

Yankees continued the offense in the top of the 4th inning, as a leadoff single by Everson Pereria and a HR by Anthony Volpe gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead.

The bottom of the 5th is where things start to get s p i c y.

Carlos Rondon issued two walks to Jonathan Aranda and Brandon Lowe, and also has two strikeouts. After the second walk, Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided that was enough and went to Ian Hamilton to try and get the last out.

Hamilton hits Isaac Parades. In the head.

Isaac was okay, and took his base at 1st to load them, but up to this point, this is the second hit Rays batter by Yankees’ pitching this game, and the TENTH hit batter of the season. Rays have only hit two Yankees ALL SEASON.

So, bases are loaded and Isaac is ok, but pinch hitter Josh Lowe couldn’t bring them in this time and the Yankees still lead the Rays 4-2 after 5 innings.

Rays had another opportunity in the 6th inning with some very timely and unorthodox hitting. After two outs to start the inning, Christian Bethancourt singled to keep the Rays offense alive, and then:

Jonathan Aranda was hit by a pitch. Third Rays’ batter this game, and eleventh of the season. Are the Yankees’ pitchers that bad, or was it purposeful or both?

Randy was the next batter, and as much as I would love a Randy HR here, he kept it simple, kept the line moving and got a single to load the bases. Again.

This brought up Harold Ramirez, who had one of the wildest ABs I’ve seen, and I was sure was going to strike out.

Look at this:

Took a close pitch in the zone, and then just started swinging at everything else that wasn’t another HBP attempt or in the dirt. And the one he did hit:

Was blooped enough to score two runs and tie the score. Harold emulated the “throw the bat at the ball and see what happens”

That brought up Brandon Lowe with two runners on and two outs. This prompted Aaron Boone to go to LHP Wandy Peralta, who’s sole purpose was to face Brandon Lowe and try to get him out.

Didn’t matter. Brandon Lowe adds two more RBIs and Rays lead 6-4 after 6 innings.

Zach Litell’s night is done after 6 innings. He had 4 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, and 4 strikeouts. A nice bounce back after the 2 run HR in the 4th, Litell and Bethancourt all but abandoned the slider/sweeper in favor of the splitter.

Shawn Armstrong & Bob Steve was called upon for the 7th and 8th innings and made quick work of the Yankees, getting the minimum 6 outs needed.

The bottom of the 8th inning is where the game reached its highest spice levels. It opened with Randy Arozarena at the plate and a...

Hit by Pitch. Again. Fourth one of the day, TWELVETH of the season. Randy was understandably upset and had some words for Yankees’ Albert Abreu. And so were the Rays’ bench as they began to clear.

Yandy had about 4 people holding him back. He might be on the bench, but he wanted all the smoke. Kudos to the ump for being on top of Randy from the beginning, and ultimately nothing was of it. No warnings, and teams went back to their benches.

But Randy doesn’t forget. And he was a man on a mission.

Randy stole 2nd base on the very next pitch. Four pitches later, he stole 3rd base, and a few words for Abreu. And then the benches cleared AGAIN.

Siri was the first out of the dugout and bolted to Abreu to settle him. But nothing physical occurred, and the teams went back to their benches yet again.

Here’s where we are at after all that drama:

• Rays lead 6-4
• Randy Arozarena is on 3rd base
• There is 1 out.
• Brandon Lowe is at the plate.

Rays increase their lead to 3 as Brandon Lowe laces a double and brings home Randy.

I’m convinced that Randy was going to try and steal home, though.

Jason Adam came on for the 9th and fired a scoreless inning, sealing the series win for the Rays’

FINAL - Rays: 7, Yankees: 4.

Brandon Lowe was asked about the drama that unfolded in the postgame interview, which you can watch here:

Some great quotes in the interview including:

“ We need each game. They’re not really in each game”

“You know, there’s trying to ignite something over there, whatever, not worth our time at this moment”

Brandon Lowe is a savage on and off the field.

Rays’ have an off day tomorrow, before heading down to Miami to face off against the Marlins on Tuesday 8/29/23. Gametime is 6:40 PM with Aaron Civale facing off against Sandy Alcantara.