The New York Yankees potent offense took a night off on Friday and gave the spotlight to their starter Carlos Rodon, as he stifled the Tampa Bay Rays for six shutout innings, allowing just two hits, while stricking out nine batters.
New York entered the game with a 4-game winning streak, and an offense that scored 18 runs through in those wins, but on Friday they managed just a run on an RBI single off the bat of Trent Grisham.
The game belonged to Rodon, but it took two batters in to get him going. After he walked Yandy Diaz to start the game for the Rays, he then allowed a singel off the bat of Junior Caminero. Rodon settled down and struck out the next three batters to end the threat.
The lefty retired 13 straight batters before he gave up a double to Jose Caballero to star the fifth inning. After a groundout moved the runner to third base, the Yankees brought the infield in and Rodon induced a ground ball to 1B Paul Goldschmidt, who ran towards Caballeo, getting him in a run down, as he was eventually tagged out by the catcher. Rodon struck out Diaz to end the frame and keep the Yankees up 1-0.
The Dón Dominated. @Carlos_Rodon55 👏 pic.twitter.com/gjni8OlMGI
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 19, 2025
Rodon finished his night with a strikeout to end the sixth inning and the bullpen combined for three scoreless innings, to secure Rodon’s second win on the season and the Yankees 13th.
With the Victory, the Yankees remain a game over the Toronto Blue jays (12-8) in the AL East and the loss dropped the Rays to 8-12, as they sit in last place in the division.
Aaron Judge was 0 for 3, snapping his modest six game hitting streak, and Goldschmidt was the star on the night going 3 for 4, as he has hit safely in 12 of 17 games in the month of April.
