Jonathan Aranda Belts 1-0 Rays Lead Off Gerrit Cole in ALDS Game 1
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 3
Jonathan Aranda Belts 1-0 Rays Lead Off Gerrit Cole in ALDS Game 1
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 3
Summary
Jonathan Aranda put Tampa Bay ahead 1-0 in the third inning, yanking a changeup from Gerrit Cole into the right-center seats at Tropicana Field.
Drew Rasmussen protected that edge through three scoreless innings against New York; his 1.81 ERA entering the start was the lowest by any pitcher with at least 10 starts vs. the Yankees since 2000.
Chandler Simpson helped preserve the lead in the fourth with a sliding catch in left-center after a poor initial jump, using his speed to track down Luis Garcia Jr.'s looping fly.
The homer was the first by a Rays player at the Trop in a Division Series game since Ji-Man Choi in 2021, giving Tampa Bay an early jolt in an all-AL East matchup.