ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ A strong start by Wilmer Font, a team effort by the bullpen and big hits by rookie infielders Willy Adames and Jake Bauers led the Rays to a second straight win over the Yankees on Saturday, 4-0.
In what was supposed to be another bullpen day, Font sure looked like a starter. He gave the Rays another impressive outing, working into the sixth, allowing the Yankees only three hits.
In eight games (four starts) since being acquired by the Rays, and moved back to the third base side of the rubber, he is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA. In 10 appearances with the Dodgers and A's, he was 0-2 with a 12.71 ERA and allowed 10 homers in 17 innings.
The Rays (36-40) took the lead right away before a Tropicana Field crowd of 29,831, largest since Opening Day. Kevin Kiermaier, hitless in his first four games since coming off the DL, led off with a single off Sonny Gray, and rookie Jake Bauers knocked him in with a double.
They made it 3-0 in the second. C.J. Cron, in a 1-for-30 slump, led off with a double and Daniel Robertson doubled him in. Mallex Smith moved Robertson to third, and Willy Adames singled through the drawn-in infield.
Adames stretched the lead to 4-0 in the seventh when he looped Gray's 101st and last pitch over the right-field wall for his second homer.
After Font got two outs into the sixth, and nearly out of it on a close 3-and-2 pitch to Aaron Judge, manager Kevin Cash went aggressively to his bullpen again. The Rays used four relievers to complete the shutout, Jonny Venters, Ryne Stanek, Chaz Roe and Sergio Romo.
After losing their first five games to the majors-best Yankees, the Rays have won three straight, taking the series finale last Sunday in New York and the first two this weekend at the Trop.
