Sabathia Loses No Hitter In The Eighth As Yanks Crush The Rays 10-0

Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E N.Y. Yankees (3-2) 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 4 2 10 14 0 Tampa Bay (3-2) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 W: C. Sabathia (1-0) L: W. Davis (0-1) HR: NYY - R. Cano (2) TB - None

The first three innings were owned by the pitchers in this game. Neither team was able to produce a hit as both Rays pitcher Wade Davis and Yankee pitcher CC Sabathia were showing that this day was going to be dominated by pitching. Well, at least the Yankee pitcher, because CC Sabathia was in charge from the start.

Davis was cruising along for the Rays until the top of the fourth, when the Yankees broke into the scoring column as Robbie Cano drilled a two run homer to right driving in Mark Teixeira, who had walked earlier.

As the game moved along, it was obvious that Sabathia really had it going. He kept the Rays batters off balance with excellent location and a fast ball that was often reaching 96 MPH. The Rays still could not manage any hits or even a base runner as the game moved along into the fifth inning.

In the top of the fifth, Gardner singled to left and was moved to second by a nice bunt by Cervelli. Then the Captain lined a single up the middle to drive in the speedy Gardner. A few batters later, Teixeira doubled deep to left and scored Jeter for the fourth run of the game.

In the bottom of the 5^th, Sabathia allowed his first base runner when he walked Evan Longoria. Longoria then stole second. Sabathia got Upton to fly out to center before Aybar grounded out to second and Longoria moved to third with two outs. But Sabathia struck out Burrell to end the threat and keep the no-hitter alive.

With two outs in the top of the 6^th, Curtis Granderson walked and then promptly stole second. Gardner hit a line drive to left and Granderson rounded third and went home. But the throw from Crawford was on the money and Shoppach did a great job of blocking the plate and preventing Granderson from ever reaching it as he was thrown out to end the inning.

The game then went to the bottom of the 6^th. After Shoppach flew out to left and Kapler popped out to second, Mark Teixeira made a fantastic play that kept the no-hitter in tact. Jason Bartlett lined a shot to right but Teixeira made a great diving stab to his right to make the final out of the inning.

Grant Balfour came in to replace Davis in the top of the seventh and proceeded to send the Yankees down 1-2-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Sabathia gave up a lead off walk to Crawford. Zobrist then grounded the ball to Sabathia who threw wide and left to second. But Crawford tried to slide hard into Cano to break up the any chance of a double play and accidentally over-slid the bag and was tagged out by Cano. Sabathia then struck out the dangerous Longoria looking. After Zobrist then stole second, the next batter, BJ Upton ripped a line drive down the third base line and it looked like the no-hitter was over. But Alex Rodriguez made a great diving grab, jumped up and threw out the quick Upton at first.

In the top of the eighth, former Yankee, Randy Choate came in to relieve Balfour but was not greeted kindly by his former team. Mark Teixeira singled to left and ARod singled to center. After Cano lined out to third, Swisher singled to center and Teixeira was held. The Yankees had the bases loaded when Granderson singled to left and drove home the 5^th Yankee run of the game. Gardner was up with one out and grounded to short but beat easily the throw to first and Rodriguez scored the sixth run. The next batter Francisco Cervelli, wearing that enormous batting helmet, drove a ball to deep right center just out of the reach of Kapler and Swisher and Gardner both scored to make the game 8 – 0.

The Rays made a pitching change, bringing in Dan Wheeler to replace the ineffective Choate. Wheeler got Jeter to make the last out when he hit a weak grounder to second and the game moved to the bottom of the 8^th.

The bottom of the eighth started with yet another great play came with the first batter of the inning. Willy Aybar hit a ball up the middle and Sabathia made a grab at it with his pitching hand but the ball ricocheted to Cano at second. Cano got the ball, threw to first and once again, kept the no-hitter alive. The next batter Burrell popped out to Granderson for the second out.

But the no hitter would come to an end when Kelly Shoppach lined a clean single to left. That was it for Sabathia. He left the game after 8 2/3 innings of one hit, no run ball. Give the Tampa fans credit, along with the many Yankee fans in attendance, they gave Sabathia a standing ovation as he walked to the dugout.

David Robertson came out to relieve Sabathia and induced Kapler to pop out to end the inning.

Mike Ekstrom came in to pitch the ninth for the rays and began the inning by walking Nick Johnson. Mark Teixeira then lined one deep to left. Crawford was unable to catch it as it hit the top of the wall and bounced back into Crawford’s hands. Johnson, thinking the ball was caught at first, did not go to third. Teixeira gunning for second right out of the box realized too late that Johnson was still at second and was easily tagged out in a run down. After a walk by Rodriguez, Robbie Cano lined a single to center that scored Johnson with the Yanks ninth run of the game.

A wild pitch by Ekstrom advanced the runners to second and third. Ramiro Pena came in to run for ARod. Randy Winn came in to bat for Cano and popped out to short. The next batter Granderson then walked to load the bases for Brett Gardner. Ekstrom fell behind Gardner 3-1 and ultimately walked him on a 3-2 count to bring home Pena for the Yankees tenth run and final run of the game. Cervelli came up next and grounded to second to end the rally.

David Robertson came back out for the ninth and got pinch hitter Reid Brignac, batting for Bartlett, to strike out swinging. Sean Rodriguez then batted for Crawford and struck out looking. Robertson then gave up a line drive double off the right field wall to Zobrist before getting Navarro to ground out to third to end the game.

A nice easy win for the Yanks and they look to win the series tomorrow before heading home for the Yankee Stadium home opener and World Series ring ceremony on Tuesday.

Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Derek Jeter, SS	5	1	1	1	0	0	2	.304
Nick Johnson, DH	4	1	0	0	1	1	1	.111
Mark Teixeira, 1B	4	2	3	1	1	0	0	.150
Alex Rodriguez, 3B	4	1	2	0	1	0	2	.217
Ramiro Pena, PR-3B	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Robinson Cano, 2B	5	1	2	3	0	1	2	.381
Nick Swisher, RF	3	1	1	0	1	1	0	.353
Randy Winn, RF	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Curtis Granderson, CF	3	0	2	1	2	0	1	.316
Brett Gardner, LF	4	2	2	2	1	0	2	.385
Francisco Cervelli, C	3	0	1	2	1	0	3	.333
Totals	36	10	14	10	8	3
Batting
1-Ran for Rodriguez, A in the 9th. BATTING 2B: Teixeira (1, Davis, W), Cervelli (1, Choate). HR: Cano (2, 4th inning off Davis, W, 1 on, 2 out). TB: Jeter; Teixeira 4; Rodriguez, A 2; Cano 5; Swisher; Granderson 2; Gardner 2; Cervelli 2. RBI: Cano 3 (6), Jeter (2), Teixeira (3), Granderson (3), Gardner 2 (3), Cervelli 2 (2). 2-out RBI: Cano 2; Teixeira; Cervelli 2; Gardner. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez, A; Jeter; Cervelli 2. S: Cervelli. GIDP: Jeter. Team RISP: 6-for-13. Team LOB: 8. BASERUNNING SB: Granderson (2, 2nd base off Davis, W/Shoppach), Gardner (3, 2nd base off Davis, W/Shoppach). CS: Rodriguez, A (1, 2nd base by Davis, W/Shoppach).

Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
CC Sabathia (W,1-0)	7.2	1	0	0	2	5	0	3.46
David Robertson	1.1	1	0	0	0	2	0	0.00
Pitches-Strikes - CC Sabathia 111-69, David Robertson 25-16
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - CC Sabathia 11-7, David Robertson 1-1
Batters Faced - CC Sabathia 26, David Robertson 5