Drew Rasmussen did not allow a hit through 7 2/3 scoreless innings and Jonathan Aranda belted a solo homer, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays to a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday in Game 1 of the American League Division Series in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Austin Wells broke up Rasmussen’s no-hit bid in the eighth with a blast down the right-field line. However, he was thrown out in his attempt to stretch a double into a triple to end the inning.
That was the lone hit allowed by Rasmussen (1-0), who struck out 10 batters in eight innings.
Bryan Baker struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure his first career postseason save.
Jonathan Aranda belted a solo homer in the third inning as one of the five hits for the Rays, who secured a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 2 is Monday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Aranda deposited a 2-2 changeup from Gerrit Cole (0-1) over the wall in right-center field to open the scoring in the third inning.
The Yankees’ bats went silent after outscoring the rival Boston Red Sox by an 18-2 margin and out-hitting them 26-7 during a two-game sweep in the wild-card round.
Captain Aaron Judge was left off New York’s roster for the ALDS. Judge, 34, has not played since Sept. 16 with a strained right calf. The three-time AL MVP landed on the injured list three days later and missed the Yankees’ wild-card sweep earlier this week.
Rasmussen also dominated the Yankees in three of four meetings during the regular season, including a one-run, one-hit, 11-strikeout performance over 6 2/3 innings of a 6-1 romp on Sept. 22. The Rays clinched the AL East title with that victory.
Rasmussen allowed only a pair of walks, one each in the second and third innings, and retired the final 16 batters he faced.
He also showed his defensive chops by getting off the mound to field a bunt and throw out Ryan McMahon to begin the sixth inning. He finished that inning unscathed, marking the deepest no-hit bid in franchise history and the deepest into a postseason game the Yankees have ever been no-hit.
Cole permitted one run on five hits in five innings.
