|
 Forsythe delivered the game-winning single with two outs in the
12th inning, and Boxberger pitched two dominant innings as the Rays
outlasted the New York Yankees 4-3 at Yankee Stadium.
"I guess it is (fun)," Boxberger said of him and Forsythe closing
out a win. "It's fun to no matter what the combination of winning a
game is."
The Rays won three in a row for the first time in more than a month
and also won for the 12th time in 19 games. They won an extra-inning
game at Yankee Stadium for the second time this season, getting key
contributions Monday from two players that did not impact their
14-inning win in New York on May 2.
Forsythe went 2-for-5 and also fielded 10 ground balls behind five
Tampa Bay pitchers, but his biggest moment was when he grounded an
0-1 slider up the middle against Jose Ramirez (0-2). Left fielder
Brandon Guyer stole second on the previous pitch, and he easily
scored the winning run on Forsythe's hit. "Absolutely a big boast in confidence," said Forsythe, who is
16-for-35 over the last two weeks. "I keep battling. I was asked
earlier if we can start (getting hot), and I (said), 'Yeah.' We
never think we're out of it, and it was nice to be that guy
tonight."
 Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said, "Here's a guy that came over from
the other side (the National League), and we've talked about why we
like him and what we think his tools are and why we wanted him here.
Now it's starting to show up. He had a tough beginning, probably
almost trying too hard to justify coming here, and right now he's
starting to settle in."
Other than Joel Peralta giving up a game-tying home run to second
baseman Brian Roberts with one out in the ninth, it was a strong
showing by Tampa Bay's bullpen. Before Peralta blew the save, Jake
McGee stranded two in the eighth. Following the blown save, Grant
Balfour stranded Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter at second by striking
out first baseman Mark Teixeira and catcher Brian McCann.
Boxberger (1-1), who was acquired along with Forsythe from San Diego
in the offseason, recorded four ground-ball outs and threw 22 of 31
pitches for strikes.
"We got a run, and I was able to go back out there and stick to what
I was doing the inning before," Boxberger said.
The combination of Forsythe's hitting and Boxberger's pitching sent
the Yankees to a third straight loss. They reached the halfway point
at 41-40, and they have lost seven of nine following a four-game
winning streak.
"They were able to get the big hit at the end, and we've had two
extremely tough losses so far on this homestand," New York manager
Joe Girardi said, including a 2-1 defeat to the Boston Red Sox on
Saturday. "We had a couple of chances, and we just weren't able to
do much tonight."
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The Rays needed four hours, 35 minutes to complete the win after
blowing leads of 2-0 and 3-2. They drew eight walks, left the bases
loaded in the seventh and 11th and stranded 13 before Forsythe came
through with his biggest hit of the season.
Four innings earlier, catcher Ryan Hanigan appeared to have the
game-winning hit when he singled in Guyer off New York closer David
Robertson. Robertson relieved Dellin Betances, who gave up two-out
walks to Guyer and Forsythe.
Before the late-game dramatics, Joyce and rookie right fielder Kevin
Kiermaier hit solo home runs for Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay right-hander Chris Archer was in line to join Walter
Johnson as the second pitcher to win his first five starts against
the Yankees. In seven innings, he gave up two runs, both in the
third inning, and he retired 13 of the final 16 hitters he faced.
New York right-hander David Phelps allowed two runs and four hits in
5 2/3 innings.
NOTES: Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (inflamed right knee) threw a bullpen
session at Yankee Stadium on Monday afternoon, and GM Brian Cashman
said that he would make a rehab start Thursday at Double-A Trenton.
... New York's Derek Jeter is leading AL shortstops with 2,353,336
votes in the latest All-Star balloting results released Monday. ...
Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (right elbow surgery) threw a
38-pitch bullpen session Monday at Tropicana Field. He will make his
next rehab start Thursday though the Rays do not know where. ... The
Rays claimed RHP Cory Burns off waivers from the Texas Rangers,
added him to the 40-man roster and assigned him to Double-A
Montgomery. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, RHP Angel
Sanchez was designated for assignment.
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