Palacios’ two-run single helps Rays beat Yankees 5-2 for 2-0 ALDS lead

Richie Palacios’ two-run single finished a four-run fifth inning that sent the Rays past the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night. Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series, putting New York one loss from elimination as the teams head to Yankee Stadium.

Ben Rice hit two solo home runs, accounting for both Yankees runs. New York’s four errors gave Tampa Bay extra opportunities, and the Rays’ bullpen kept the lead intact after Freddy Peralta departed in the fifth. Game 3 is Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern.

The game turned immediately after the Yankees missed their biggest chance to move ahead. Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the top of the fifth, and Ryan McMahon walked. Cam Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases. Cody Bellinger then flied out to center, leaving the game tied 1-1.

Tampa Bay’s next turn produced the separation. Jonathan Aranda singled and Junior Caminero doubled to open the bottom of the fifth. Liam Hicks’ groundout scored Aranda, then Chandler Simpson’s run-scoring grounder was officially scored a fielder’s choice.

Brent Headrick replaced Cam Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr. Simpson stole second, and Jonny DeLuca reached on George Lombard Jr.’s throwing error. Palacios singled to center to drive both runners home and make it 5-1.

The Rays’ official clip shows Palacios delivering the inning’s last two runs.

The Yankees had spent much of the night recovering from their first-inning mistakes. Yandy Díaz reached on McMahon’s fielding error, and Aranda singled. Caminero’s grounder produced a forceout at second, but Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s throwing error allowed Díaz to score. Catcher interference against Wells added a third error before Schlittler escaped with only one run allowed.

Rice brought New York level with a fourth-inning homer off Peralta, the Yankees’ first hit. After Tampa Bay’s rally, he homered again against Ian Seymour in the eighth. The second drive made it 5-2, but New York did not get another baserunner.

Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4⅔ innings, striking out three and walking one. Booser recorded the fifth inning’s final out. Seymour worked three innings, allowed Rice’s homer as his only hit and struck out four. Bryan Baker finished with three groundouts in a perfect ninth for his second save of the series.

Schlittler allowed four runs, two earned, and six hits in 4⅓ innings. He struck out two and walked one. Tampa Bay finished with eight hits and no errors; New York had four hits. Rice’s two homers kept the Yankees from another shutout, but the Rays converted their fifth-inning opportunities into a lead their relievers protected.

October 6 update: Rice’s two-homer games set a Yankees postseason first

Ben Rice became the first Yankee with two multi-homer games in one postseason, according to Sarah Langs’ MLB report published early Tuesday. He is also the first player in MLB postseason history to have two such games within his team’s first four games of a playoff run.

His four homers through New York’s opening four games tie Lou Gehrig’s 1928 total for second-most in franchise history at that point. Giancarlo Stanton hit five through four games in 2020. Josh Davis’ independently authored report for ClutchPoints also records that comparison.

Both Monday homers came against changeups, from Freddy Peralta and Ian Seymour. Langs reports that Rice is the first player to homer twice off changeups in a postseason game during the pitch-tracking era, which began in 2008. The historical context adds to his individual performance; the Rays’ 5-2 victory and 2-0 series lead remain the result.