Richie Palacios, an infielder of Puerto Rican descent, hit a two-run single in the fifth inning to help the Tampa Bay Rays defeat the New York Yankees 5-2 on Monday night, taking a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series. The Rays are one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series.
The series’ third game will be played on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Rays manager Kevin Cash said the team’s success is due to its strong clubhouse and selfless players. The Yankees, who are on the brink of elimination, have scored only two runs in two playoff games against the Rays, with three-time American League MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said his team needs to focus on winning one game at a time. The Rays, a 'small ball' team, were able to take out Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler, a potential Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth inning with the help of New York’s defensive errors.