ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ Mathematically, the Yankees still have a chance of realizing their October fantasy.
But realistically, hope has begun to abandon them.
Four Rays pitchers stitched together a 2-0 shutout Thursday night at Tropicana Field against the Yankees, who failed to complete a three-game sweep of last place Tampa Bay.
And now, the Yankees (79-73) head to Toronto for a four-game series against one of the five clubs they're chasing for a wild-card spot that is more elusive than ever.
With 10 games to play, the Yankees trailed Baltimore by 2{ games for the AL's final wild card _ pending the outcome of the Orioles' game at first-place Boston.
After scoring 11 runs in Wednesday night's win, the Yankees managed just eight hits on Thursday night. The Yanks haven't swept a road series against an AL East opponent since May of 2015, at Boston.
It was an encouraging start on Thursday, though, as Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury opened the game with singles against lefty Blake Snell. But Snell (6-8) struck out both Gary Sanchez and Billy Butler and got Mark Teixeira to pop out.
Snell lasted five innings and gave up five hits and three walks, with six strikeouts. Ex-Yankee Chase Whitley held the Yanks scoreless into the eighth and Alex Colome picked up his 35th save.
Yankees rookie starter Luis Cessa gave up two runs in six innings on six hits, including Corey Dickerson's sixth-inning homer.
Sanchez, who had homered in four straight games entering Thursday, showed off his strong arm behind the plate _ throwing out two Rays at second base. But at the plate, he was 0-for-2 with two walks.
Teixeira (0-for-3, walk, two strikeouts) started for a third straight game, a rarity due to his neck and knee issues this season. Teixeira already announced he'll be retiring a season's end, but manager Joe Girardi wasn't playing him over Tyler Austin out of sentiment.
"I've said all along we're trying to win games, this is not just about putting young players out there," Girardi said before the game. "Mark has been a very productive player against Snell and he's seen him and he's been patient off him and I think that's a good thing."
Cessa's last win came on Aug. 26, and he hadn't completed six innings since Aug. 31.
The right-hander ran into immediate first-inning trouble, yielding singles to Logan Forsythe and Kevin Kiermaier. After Evan Longoria lined out, Brad Miller grounded a single to left for a 1-0 lead.
But Cessa settled in from that point, with help from his cannon-armed catcher.
Kiermaier opened the third inning with a single but was erased attempting to steal second by Sanchez's bullet throw and a good tag by Donovan Solano.
The Rays center fielder was originally called safe, but the Yankees successfully challenged the call _ snapping Kiermaier's streak of 18 consecutive stolen bases.
Curt Casali doubled to start the Rays' fourth, but strayed too far off second base and was picked off by Sanchez for the inning's first out.
From that point, Cessa retired seven straight batters until Dickerson's two-out homer in the sixth.
