The Tampa Bay Rays battered Bartolo Colon (6-4) early and often as they took Game 1 of a four-game series against the New York Yankees by a score of 5-1.
Ben Zobrist was a double away from the cycle, going 3-for-3. Zobrist led the game off with a triple off Colon and was driven in two batters later by Evan Longoria to make it 1-0 in the 1st. In the third inning, Zobrist led off in a big way as he took a Colon pitch to deep right field for his 10th home run of the season. After a single in the 6th, Ben had a chance in the 9th to get his cycle, but drew a walk off of reliever Hector Noesi.
B.J. Upton also had a strong day at the plate, going 2-for-4 and driving in 3 RBI. Upton drove in Casey Kotchman with a two-out single in the 3rd, and then bombed a Colon pitch over the wall in left to give the Rays a 5-0 lead that they would not give up.
Jeff Niemann (4-4) looked strong for the second start in a row, striking out four Yankees and only giving up one earned run and six hits in 7 1/3 innings of work. With Wade Davis going on the DL, Niemann's start has to make Rays fans feel a bit better about the rotation behind James Shields and David Price.
Yankees SS Derek Jeter will have to wait at least one more day to earn hit number 3000 after he went 1-for05 on the evening. Some Yankee fans thought that tonight might be the night to see history after he ripped a double in the first inning, but Niemann and Kyle Farnsworth were able to keep Jeter hitless for the rest of the night.
Robinson Cano had the only run for New York, taking Niemann deep for his 15th home run of the season.
The Rays and Yankees will be back on the field tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium, with Jeremy Hellickson going up against Freddy Garcia.