Austin Wells didn’t hide from the moment after the Yankees’ 1-0 loss to the Rays in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday. The Yankees catcher stood behind the decision that ended New York’s best chance to break through, even if it left the inning - and the game - empty.
Wells supplied the Yankees’ lone hit of the night, lining a double down the line in the eighth inning. He tried to turn it into a triple, but blew past third base coach Luis Rojas’ stop sign and was thrown out to end the inning. New York never got another crack, and a quiet ninth sealed the defeat.
"You have to take risks," Wells said after the game. "In that situation, obviously the risk was wrong. ...
I think I needed to try to make something happen there. Obviously it didn't work out."
That double was enough to snap Drew Rasmussen’s no-hit bid, but it also came with a costly tradeoff. The Yankees had reached base only twice before that point, both times on walks, and the inning that finally gave them some life ended without a run. Bryan Baker finished the job for Tampa Bay in the ninth, preserving a 1-0 Rays lead in the series.
The loss doesn’t leave New York out of options. The Yankees have Monday off before Game 2, and they still haven’t used Cam Schlittler, their biggest weapon in the series.
Schlittler, the runaway favorite for the AL Cy Young award this season, did not pitch in Game 1. He went 193.2 innings with an American League-best 1.95 ERA and 7.0 bWAR, while striking out 239 batters and earning his first All-Star selection, though he did not pitch in the Midsummer Classic.
If the Yankees can steal a game on the road with Schlittler on the mound, they’ll head back to Yankee Stadium with Games 3 and 4 still ahead. Game 2 is set for Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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Rays Just Sent Yankees A Clear Message With This Game 2 Move
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It was the kind of postseason decision that can define a series before it really starts, especially for a Rays team that has long been built around pitching judgment and nerve. After Rasmussen finished his job, Bryan Baker was asked to finish it off, and he did just that by striking out a key Yankees hitter to seal the 1-0 win and give Tampa Bay an early edge. [Read more 🡒]
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Offensively, Simpson has kept forcing opposing clubs to adjust, and Rays manager Kevin Cash has pointed to his ability to adapt as defenses and pitch plans change around him. Simpson finished second in the American League batting average race and led the league in multi-hit games and singles, production that makes him a problem even when teams think they have the right approach. For a Rays club always looking for the next edge, Simpson is becoming the kind of everyday difference-maker that can shift the tone around the roster. [Read more 🡒]