Rizzo HR in 9th gives Yanks 14th straight home win
Mets, Brewers starters exit early
NEW YORK » Anthony Rizzo hit a solo home run with one out in the ninth inning and the streaking New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 Thursday night for their 14th straight home win.
The Yankees have their longest home winning string since taking 15 in a row at the original Yankee Stadium on Aug. 16-Sept. 26, 1961, when Roger Maris was chasing Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record.
Rizzo’s 16th homer gave the Yankees their seventh straight win overall and eighth series sweep this year. New York became the sixth team since 1930 and the first since the 2001 Seattle Mariners to win at least 47 of its first 63 games.
Rizzo gave New York its eighth walkoff win of the season when he lifted a 2-1 sinker against Shawn Armstrong (0-1) into the right-center seats. Rizzo watched the ball soar into the seats, dropped his bat and was met with a wild celebration at home plate.
It was Rizzo’s fifth career game-ending homer and first since July 26, 2018, for the Chicago Cubs against Arizona. The Yankees have four walk-off wins since their last home loss on May 23.
Rizzo hit a tying single in the sixth after the Yankees were no-hit into the fifth.
Francisco Mejía homered for Tampa Bay, which dropped to 2-5 in the season series with the Yankees. The Rays also lost for the 10th time in the last 16 meetings with New York.
New York spot starter Clarke Schmidt allowed one hit in three innings in place of Luis Severino.
PADRES 6, CUBS 4 » Joe Musgrove pitched seven effective innings in his third straight win, and San Diego handed Chicago its 10th consecutive loss.
GUARDIANS 4, ROCKIES 2 » José Ramírez doubled for his eighth straight game with an extra-base hit, and Cleveland matched a season high with its fourth win in a row.
ORIOLES 10, BLUE JAYS 2 » Cedric Mullins had three hits, and Baltimore pounded former Orioles pitcher Kevin Gausman.
ATHLETICS 4, RED SOX 3 » Paul Blackburn pitched sharply into the sixth inning, Christian Bethancourt hit a two-run single and the Athletics held off the Red Sox for just their second win in 15 games.
NEW YORK » Mets right-hander Tylor Megill left his start Thursday night against Milwaukee with shoulder discomfort, the latest setback in a promising season for the second-year pitcher.
Megill came off the injured list last week after missing a month with right biceps inflammation. He will have an MRI on Friday, the Mets said.
Megill entered 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA.
In another blow to the Brewers’ depleted rotation, left-hander Aaron Ashby exited with an apparent injury.
Ashby, the nephew of former major league pitcher Andy Ashby, entered 1-5 with a 3.91 ERA in seven starts and six relief appearances.