Carlos Rodón delivered eight scoreless innings and reached a milestone, leading the New York Yankees to a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, temporarily halting the visitors’ push to clinch the American League East.
The Yankees improved to 90-66 on the season, strengthening their hold on the top wild-card spot in the American League and moving six games ahead of the Boston Red Sox, according to Major League Baseball standings. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays dropped to 95-61, leaving their magic number at two to secure the division title for the fifth time in franchise history and their first since 2021, as reported by the Associated Press.
Carlos Rodón Dominates and Hits Milestones
Rodón put together his longest outing since July 11, 2025, against the Chicago Cubs, allowing just three hits while striking out eight batters and issuing no walks over eight frames. According to game data, the left-hander threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the 25 batters he faced, improving his record to 3-1 across seven starts since returning from left elbow inflammation last month.
The performance marked the 100th regular-season victory of Rodón’s career. During the outing, he also crossed a major strikeout threshold by fanning Jonny DeLuca on a slider for the second out of the eighth inning, making him the 18th active pitcher in Major League Baseball to reach 1,500 career strikeouts. Earlier in the seventh, Rodón struck out American League MVP candidate Junior Caminero on a slider in the dirt after touching 98 mph with his previous two fastballs.
Cody Bellinger Supplies the Offense and Defense
New York provided all the run support Rodón needed in the fourth inning against Tampa Bay starting pitcher Nick Martinez. Ben Rice doubled to jumpstart the frame before Cody Bellinger launched the next pitch from Martinez into the right-field seats, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead with his two-run home run.
Bellinger made an equally crucial impact with his glove in the sixth inning. After Victor Mesa Jr. opened the frame with a single, Richie Palacios lifted a fly ball to right field. Bellinger caught the ball and delivered a strong one-hop throw to first baseman Luis García Jr. to double off Mesa, securing his eighth outfield assist of the season.
How the Game Ended
Nick Martinez absorbed his first loss since July 9, pitching six innings while allowing two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts, dropping his record to 15-5. The Yankees turned to closer David Bednar in the ninth inning, and the right-hander retired Yandy Díaz to collect his 35th save in 39 opportunities.
The contest lasted just two hours and two minutes, marking New York’s fastest game of the season and producing the team’s 15th shutout.
What Comes Next
The day-night doubleheader continues later on Tuesday evening at Yankee Stadium. Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen, carrying a 15-5 record and a 2.72 ERA, is scheduled to face New York left-hander Max Fried, who enters with a 5-4 mark and a 2.63 ERA.
