TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ben Rice had his first big league four-hit game and drove in two runs, Oswaldo Cabrera hit a solo homer and New York rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Thursday night in the Yankees' first game as a visitor at their spring training home.
Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer for the displaced Rays, who are playing this season at Steinbrenner Field because Hurricane Milton tore off the roof panels at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Oct 9.
Many fans in Tampa made it seem like the Bronx south. They chanted “Let’s go Yankees!” and cheered loudly for New York while the hometown fans in the crowd of 10,046 answered “Let’s go Rays!” at times.
Aaron Judge had an RBI single in the first on a 1-for-4 night that lowered his batting average to .400.
New York broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth when Jasson Domínguez grounded into a run-scoring forceout against Taj Bradley (2-1) and Rice followed with a two-run single off Manuel Rodríguez.
Tim Hill (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings,Ian Hamilton struck out three in 1 2/3 innings and Devin Williams finished for his fourth save.
Caminero gave the Rays a 3-1 lead in the third on his fifth homer this season, launching an opposite-field, two-run shot to right off former Rays pitcher Ryan Yarbrough.
Cabrera led off the fifth with his first homer of the season and Cody Bellinger hit into a run-scoring forceout.
Bradley gave up six runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Yankees starter Will Warren lasted just 1 2/3 innings and left with the bases loaded in the second after throwing 53 pitches.
Key moment
Judge threw out Kameron Misner trying to advance from first to third on Brandon Lowe’s single to right field in the first inning.
Key stat
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was ejected in the seventh by plate umpire John Bacon for arguing after a called third strike on a full-count pitch that appeared low, his fifth career ejection and first with the Yankees.
Up next
Yankees LHP Carlos Rodón (1-3, 5.48 ERA) faces Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 0.60) on Friday. Rodon has a 4.62 ERA in eight starts vs. Tampa Bay.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press
