Rays beat the Yankees 3-0 to extend AL East lead to 5 games

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jonathan Aranda drove in three runs, Shane McClanahan pitched 6 1/3 innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 3-0 on Wednesday night to extend their AL East lead to five games.

McClanahan (8-5) scattered four hits and struck out five without a walk on 85 pitches. He had his longest outing of the season and his second consecutive start without giving up a run. Bryan Baker struck out the side in the ninth inning for his 25th save.

The Rays have struck out the Yankees 45 times in the first three games of the series.

Aranda had an RBI single in the third inning off Gerrit Cole (3-4) that scored Yandy Diaz, an RBI double in the fifth inning off Cole that plated Nick Fortes and added another RBI in the seventh against Fernando Cruz when Taylor Walls scored on a sacrifice fly.

Diaz went 4-for-4 with a run and raised his batting average to .327.

Cole was charged with three runs over 6 1/3 innings. He gave up seven hits, struck out six and walked one on 97 pitches.

New York has lost 11 of its past 13 games.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus were both ejected in the sixth inning.

Up next

The Yankees will start an opener against Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-4, 2.78) on Thursday in the series finale.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Rays beat the Yankees 3-0 to extend AL East lead to 5 games | iNFOnews.ca
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, yells at home plate umpire Doug Eddings during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Rays beat the Yankees 3-0 to extend AL East lead to 5 games | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Rays Jonathan Aranda celebrates after his RBI double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Rays beat the Yankees 3-0 to extend AL East lead to 5 games | iNFOnews.ca
New York Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez is tagged out at home by Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Rays beat the Yankees 3-0 to extend AL East lead to 5 games | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker celebrates after striking out New York Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez, not pictured, for the final out of the Rays 3-0 win in a baseball game Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

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