ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- During another embarrassing loss for the New York Yankees, the benches cleared, and Joe Girardi, Tony Pena and David Phelps were ejected as this game ended oddly.
Girardi tossed: In the eighth, Derek Jeter was hit by an 0-2 pitch from Steven Geltz. With the score 6-1 and Jeter practically sainted this year, it is hard to believe it was intentional. Anyway, plate ump Rob Drake warned both benches. Girardi went a little nutty, coming onto the field.
It appeared, though, the Yankees manager was most upset with Geltz. We'll see what Girardi says about the incident postgame.
Benches Clear: In the bottom of the eighth, Phelps threw a pitch well inside to Kevin Kiermaier, but missed him on the inside pitch. Both benches cleared. The bullpens emptied, including Dellin Betances from the Yankee side. Francisco Cervelli for the Yankees and Sean Rodriguez from the Rays appeared most ready to go, but no one actually threw a punch.
Both Phelps and Pena were ejected.
Two-run sac fly: During the Rays' four-run seventh, Wil Myers nailed a bases-loaded shot into the right center. On a night filled with terrible Yankees defense, Jacoby Ellsbury made an incredible diving catch as he landed on the warning track. One run easily scored and James Loney, from second, tagged up and slid before a relay to the plate.
Girardi came out to argue, claiming that Loney left early. Tag-up plays are not reviewable and the call stood. It looked as though Loney might have left early, but it wouldn't matter because the Yankees can't score anyways. This might have led to Girardi going nuts.
Jeter meter: Jeter went 0-for-2 and his slump is up to 0-for-26. The Rays did put on a nice tribute for him.
Standing O: Jeter had a sac bunt in the third, which earned him a standing ovation.
Pine Time: Michael Pineda pitched pretty well once again, going 5⅓ and allowing two runs (one earned). The Rays didn't hit many balls hard as they scored two soft runs.
In the fifth, a throwing error by second baseman Brendan Ryan allowed a runner to reach with one out. After a walk -- Pineda's first in 119 batters -- Ben Zobrist hit a grounder to first. There, Brian McCann tried to flip to Pineda, who couldn't handle the relay. The error was on Pineda and a run scored.
In the sixth, a one-out Nick Franklin double preceded a weird walk/wild pitch/replay reversal sequence that put Franklin at third. Franklin, it was eventually ruled, beat Cervelli's throw to third on the wild pitch. He was originally called out.
Franklin would score when Yunel Escobar chopped a bunt on a squeeze. Cervelli left home to retrieve the ball, which left no one home and Franklin ran crossed with the go-ahead run.
Young and old: The Yankees put the first run on the board behind the combo of Chris Young and Ichiro Suzuki. Young, the ex-Met, scorched a two-out, second-inning double and scored on the 40-year-old Ichiro's single.
Missed chances: The Yankees went back to their normal ways after the one run. In the third, they were unable to score a run despite having two men on with no outs. After a Jeter sac bunt, Brett Gardner popped out and McCann struck out against Jake Odorizzi. In the fifth, they had two men on and no outs again, but Ellsbury, Jeter and Gardner failed to come through.
The standings: Here are the up to the moment wild-card standings.
On deck: The Yankees finish off this three-game series with Brandon McCarthy (6-4, 2.54 ERA) facing Alex Cobb (9-7, 2.75) on Wednesday. Then they return home for the final games of Jeter's career in the Bronx. It is also scheduled to feature the return of Masahiro Tanaka.