Yankees blow huge lead in horrific loss on Rays walk-off home run

Billy Heyen

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Yankees blow huge lead in horrific loss on Rays walk-off home run image

The Yankees were in total control.

They took an 8-4 lead to the bottom of the ninth in Tampa Bay with former All-Star reliver Devin Williams into the game to close it out.

But the Rays scored four runs off Williams to knot the game at 8-8.

The Yankees couldn't score in the top of the 10th despite the built-in baserunner.

And in bottom 10, Jonathan Aranda crushed a home run to call game in a remarkable comeback win for the Rays capped by the walk-off homer.

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The Yankees had things in control, with two runs in the top of the ninth taking the game from 6-4 to 8-4.

But Williams now with a 9.00 ERA, has struggled all season and did so again.

He got an out to start the ninth, but then Jose Caballero singled and advanced to second on an error. Ben Rortvedt walked.

That set up rookie Chandler Simpson in his big-league debut to hit an RBI double.

The Yankees still led by three, but Yandy Diaz beat out an RBI infield single to score another run.

The Rays pinch-ran Taylor Walls, who stole second. And then Brandon Lowe dropped in a single to score both runners and tie the game 8-8.

The Yankees got a temporary reprieve when Williams induced a double play to get to extras.

They even got a leadoff single in the 10th from Trent Grisham to put runners on the corners.

But then Cody Bellinger and Oswaldo Cabrera struck out swinging, and J.C. Escarra flew out.

Yoendrys Gomez took the ball for the 10th but only faced one batter, Aranda, who drove in himself and the bonus runner on second base.

It's the kind of brutal defeat that could matter months from now, when the ultra-competitive AL East standings are decided. The Yankees will certainly regret this defeat.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle