Rays beat Yankees 1-0 in ALDS opener; Rasmussen's no-hit bid ends in 8th
In short
The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 1-0 on Saturday night in Game 1 of the AL Division Series in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Jonathan Aranda's third-inning home run off Gerrit Cole. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen took a no-hit bid into the eighth before Austin Wells doubled with two outs — then was thrown out trying for a triple after running through third base coach Luis Rojas' stop sign. Bryan Baker closed out the ninth for a combined one-hitter, and Wells later defended the decision to try for third.
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The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday night in St. Petersburg, Florida, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Jonathan Aranda hit the game's only run, a 417-foot home run to right-center field off Yankees starter Gerrit Cole in the third inning, the Associated Press and Fox News reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning before Wells doubled with two outs down the right-field line. Rasmussen struck out 10 and walked two over 101 pitches and had retired 15 consecutive hitters before the double, the AP reported. Fox News reported Rasmussen completed eight scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Wells was thrown out trying for a triple on the same play, running through third base coach Luis Rojas' stop sign. Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. threw to shortstop Taylor Walls, whose relay to third baseman Junior Caminero beat Wells, according to the AP. The AP called the play a baserunning blunder, and Fox News said the out prevented Ryan McMahon from coming to the plate with the potential tying run in scoring position. Wells defended the decision: “You have to take risks,” he said. “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.” [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Bryan Baker pitched the ninth for Tampa Bay, striking out pinch hitter Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice before getting Cody Bellinger to ground out to complete a combined one-hitter, Fox News and Newsweek reported. Cole allowed one run on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings and 82 pitches, per Fox News, which also reported that Ryan Weathers, Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick combined to hold Tampa Bay hitless over the final three innings. [ 4 , 6 ]
The AP reported that three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge was not on the Yankees' roster because of a calf injury. Rasmussen also pitched six hitless innings in his previous start against the Yankees on Sept. 22 before Heliot Ramos' leadoff single in the seventh, a career-high 114-pitch outing that helped Tampa Bay clinch the AL East title, according to the AP. The AP noted there have been three postseason no-hitters: Don Larsen in 1956, Roy Halladay in 2010 and four Houston pitchers in 2022. [ 1 ]
Newsweek reported the Yankees have a day off Sunday and that Cam Schlittler, described as the favorite for the AL Cy Young award with an AL-leading 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 193.2 innings, is expected to pitch Game 2. The same article said the second game begins Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET, after saying Game 2 would be Monday. [ 6 ]
Why it matters
The result gives the Rays a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five AL Division Series and puts the Yankees in a position where they need to win on the road. Wells' out ended what the AP described as the Yankees' best scoring chance, and his post-game comments kept the baserunning decision in the news a day later. Coverage is confined to the series itself; the documents give no wider implications.
Key facts
- The Rays lead the AL Division Series 1-0 after a 1-0 win over the Yankees on Saturday night in St. Petersburg, Florida. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Drew Rasmussen's no-hit bid ended with two outs in the eighth inning when Austin Wells doubled. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- Wells was thrown out trying for a triple after running through third base coach Luis Rojas' stop sign. [ 1 , 4 , 6 ]
- Jonathan Aranda's third-inning home run off Gerrit Cole produced the game's only run. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Cole allowed one run on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings and 82 pitches, according to Fox News. [ 4 ]
- Three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge was not on the Yankees' roster because of a calf injury, the AP reported. [ 1 ]
- Wells said after the game: “You have to take risks.” [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 of the AL Division Series on Saturday night. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Austin Wells broke up Drew Rasmussen's no-hit bid with a two-out double in the eighth inning and was thrown out trying for a triple. [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Rasmussen struck out 10 and walked two over 101 pitches. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Jonathan Aranda homered in the third inning off Gerrit Cole for the game's only run. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Bryan Baker pitched the ninth inning and completed a combined one-hitter for Tampa Bay. [ 4 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- When Game 2 will be played. Newsweek, the only outlet that addresses the schedule, says the Yankees get a day off Sunday before Game 2 on Monday, then says in the same article that the second game begins Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET.
- Whether Wells' decision to try for third cost the Yankees the game. The AP labels it a baserunning blunder and Fox News frames it as the moment New York's best chance ended, while Wells said the risk was wrong but that he needed to try to make something happen.
- Whether Cam Schlittler will start Game 2 for the Yankees. Only Newsweek states this; no other document names a Game 2 starter.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The AP reports that Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the eighth to end Drew Rasmussen's no-hit bid and was thrown out trying for a triple, with the Rays leading 1-0. [ 1 ]
- The AP reports Rasmussen's no-hit bid lasted 7 2/3 innings and the Rays won 1-0. [ 2 ]
- The AP publishes a Spanish-language report of the same 1-0 Rays win. [ 3 ]
- Fox News reports Wells was thrown out at third after breaking up the no-hitter, and that Bryan Baker closed out the ninth. [ 4 ]
- The AP reports Wells' baserunning blunder cost the Yankees in the 1-0 loss. [ 5 ]
- The next day, Newsweek reports Wells defended his decision to run through the stop sign. [ 6 ]