NEW YORK _ Cameron Maybin had just 60 home runs through a 12-year career before putting on a Yankee uniform this season. Maybin had hit home runs in consecutive games just three times in his entire career previously, but now has hit one in four straight games for the first time in his career.
Maybin scored the go-ahead run in a fifth inning rally and put a charge into one down the left-field line in the seventh inning for needed insurance in a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Maybin finished with three hits and two runs scored; his second straight game with both of those statistics.
The Yankees seemed in danger of snapping their team home run streak at 20 straight games before Maybin's seventh inning blast, his fifth of the season. In a lineup filled with sluggers, including newly acquired Edwin Encarnacion and the returning Giancarlo Stanton, it was Maybin, who may end up the odd man out from Aaron Judge's expected return this season, which provided the biggest hit of the night.
Before the Maybin home run, the Yankees proved that they could string together base hits. Five singles, including four in a row, helped the Yankees attack the Rays bullpen for three runs in the fifth inning to take a lead they would not relinquish.
Encarnacion, acquired Saturday in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, hit an eighth inning home run to right field for his first hit with the Yankees. It was his first home run in pinstripes and his 22nd of the season overall, leading the American League.
Attacking reliever Chaz Roe, the Yankees smacked singles with each of the first batters to face him. Trailing 2-1 at the time, eighth and ninth hitters Gleyber Torres and Maybin set the table for DJ LeMahieu, who hit a single for his 44th RBI to tie the game at two. The next batter, Luke Voit, laced a single to left field that scored Maybin and put the Yankees in front for the first time. Voit finished the night 3-for-3 with a double, a walk and that RBI, which gave the Yankees the lead for good. After Aaron Hicks struck out, a single by Gary Sanchez scored LeMahieu and extended the Yankees lead to 4-2.
Starter J.A. Happ labored through five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while striking out three. Happ did not pitch his best, but still managed to scatter the Rays hits and keep the ball inside the park. It was the first outing for Happ without surrendering a home run since May 9, breaking a streak of seven straight starts.
The rested Yankees bullpen entered for the final four innings and did what they have done all season long. Adam Ottavino struck out a pair in the sixth inning to hold the lead. In the seventh, Tommy Kahnle walked his first batter before Travis d'Arnaud plated the run with an RBI double. Kahnle struck out a pair and left d'Arnaud stranded at second base to keep New York in front. Zack Britton entered in the eighth, allowing a leadoff hit before inducing ground balls to keep the Rays scoreless. Aroldis Chapman entered in the ninth and struck out all three batters he faced to earn his 19th save.
The Rays used Ryne Stanek as an opener, who allowed a run on a single to LeMahieu, who came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Sanchez in the first inning. Ryan Yarborough relieved Stanek and pitched three great innings, allowing just one hit. Yarborough was relieved by Roe, who surrendered the lead to the Yankees in the fifth and earned the loss.
Stanton was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his first action in pinstripes since the opening series of the season at the end of March. Stanton battled a series of injuries, starting with a biceps injury and ultimately ending with a calf strain.
