09/22/26 09:53:00
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09/22 21:52 CDT Rays clinch 5th AL East title with 6-1 victory at Yankee
Stadium in 2nd game of doubleheader
Rays clinch 5th AL East title with 6-1 victory at Yankee Stadium in 2nd game of
doubleheader
By LARRY FLEISHER
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) --- The Tampa Bay Rays clinched their fifth division title with a
6-1 victory over the New York Yankees in second game of a day-night
doubleheader Tuesday as Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in 6 2/3 innings and
Yandy Daz hit a pair of two-run singles.
The Rays won the AL East for the first time since 2021 and beat that team by
three days with the earliest division clincher in team history. Tampa Bay also
won division crowns in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season along with 2010 and
2008, when it reached the World Series and had the first winning season in team
history.
Tampa Bay (96-61) opened a six-game lead over the second-place Yankees (90-67)
with five to play and will be the No. 1 seed with home-field advantage in the
American League playoffs. The team is two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers
for the best record in the majors and home-field advantage throughout the
postseason.
The Rays have led the division since June 27 and spent 128 days in first place
ahead of the Yankees, who only had Aaron Judge for 66 games due to a fractured
right rib and a sore right calf that likely will keep the slugger out of next
week's best-of-three Wild Card Series at home.
After closer Bryan Baker retired Yankees rookie George Lombard Jr. for the
final out, the Rays shook hands on the field and exchanged hugs near the dugout
to start their celebration.
Rasmussen held the Yankees hitless until Heliot Ramos started the seventh with
a double to left field. The right-hander exited after walking Jazz Chisholm
Jr., but Kevin Kelly retired Austin Wells after allowing Lombard's run-scoring
single.
After finishing with three hits during a 2-0 loss in the opener, the Rays
locked up the division title with a three-run seventh. Taylor Walls had a bunt
single and Daz lined a single to center field for a 4-0 lead. Daz added
another two-run single in the ninth.
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