NEW YORK _ Sonny Gray deserved better. That's been the case in quite a few of his starts since joining the Yankees, and again Tuesday night.
Receiving little run support, Gray made just a couple of mistakes, but they cost him in a 2-1 loss to the Rays in front of 21,024 at Citi Field. Adeiny Hechavarria blasted a first-pitch Gray fastball to left-center to snap a 1-1 tie with one out in the eighth inning.
The Yankees (78-66) had their three-game winning streak snapped.
The other run Gray allowed was a leadoff homer by Kevin Kiermaier in the first. Gray (9-10, 3.17) allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings and struck out nine. He's 3-5 with a 2.66 ERA in eight starts with the Yankees,
Rays left-hander Blake Snell, 3-0 with a 3.16 ERA his last six starts, allowed one run and two hits in five innings plus. Four relievers closed it out, with Alex Colome pitching a perfect ninth for his 44th save.
The Yankees, who had three hits, did score first. Aaron Judge drew a one-out walk in the first and went to second on Gary Sanchez's groundout. Matt Holliday worked the count full before sending a laser to left that a sliding Corey Dickerson couldn't quite grab. The double brought in Judge to give Gray a lead before he threw a pitch.
However, on that first pitch, a 94-mph fastball, Kiermaier tied it, driving it to right-center for his 12th homer. It was the 14th homer allowed in 24 starts this season by Gray. Lucas Duda followed with a double, but Gray stranded him.
Gray cruised after the Duda double, not allowing another hit until Wilson Ramos doubled with one out in the fifth. Brad Miller sliced a single to left, too hard for Ramos to score, instead giving the Rays runners at the corners with one out. Gray took advantage of the break, striking out Hechavarria on a slider in the dirt and Kiermaier, also on a slider, to end the threat.
Gray would retire nine straight after the Miller single.
The Yankees got Snell out of the game in the sixth but did not score. Brett Gardner led off with a single, and Kevin Cash called on righty Steve Cishek to face Judge. The sidearmer struck out Judge looking at a 91-mph fastball, induced a popout to first off the bat of Sanchez and struck out Holliday looking at a 91-mph fastball.
