Rays ruin Sabathia’s bid for 20 wins
Upton first Tampa Bay player to hit for cycle; Yanks ace finishes at 19-8
 Chris O'meara / AP New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia failed to get through the third inning against Tampa Bay on Friday, matching a personal worst by allowing nine runs — five earned — in 2 2-3 innings and losing for the first time in more than two months. The Rays won 13-4. |
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With little else to play for on the final weekend of the regular season, the New York Yankees were hoping to make CC Sabathia a 20-game winner and build momentum toward the playoffs.
The AL East champions didn’t do either Friday night, losing 13-4 to Tampa Bay, with B.J. Upton going 5 for 5 while hitting for the cycle and driving in a career-high six runs for the Rays to ruin Sabathia’s quest for a personal milestone.
“It’s tough to go out there and pitch for individual things,” Sabathia said. “I just wanted to go out, have a good outing, and keep the run going to the playoffs. It was just one of those tough nights.”
Sabathia (19-8) failed to get through the third inning, matching a personal worst by allowing nine runs — five earned — in 2 2-3 innings and losing for the first time in more than two months.
Upton hit a three-run triple in the first inning, then doubled off the Yankees ace in the third. After hitting a two-run homer off Jonathan Albaladejo in the fourth, he completed the cycle with a run-scoring single off David Robertson in the fifth.
“It’s disappointing because we really wanted to get him 20,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.
“It didn’t happen. But his next start obviously is a big start, and we look forward to it,” Girardi added, eyeing Game 1 of the playoffs. “CC has talked about the real prize, and that starts next week.”
Upton, who’s hitting .243, became the first player in Tampa Bay’s 12-season history to hit for the cycle. He became the fourth to have five hits in a game when he singled off Phil Hughes in the eighth.
“It was an incredible night for him,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
The speedy center fielder’s six RBIs helped the Rays to a 12-1 lead and overshadowed an impressive pitching performance by rookie David Price (10-7), who allowed one run and two hits in seven innings.
The 24-year-old left-hander retired the last 12 batters he faced and limited the Yankees to one base runner after the second inning, when he gave up a leadoff walk and singles to Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera, the later driving in New York’s first run.
Juan Miranda’s first career homer, a two-run, eighth-inning shot off Dale Thayer, enabled the Yankees to tie a franchise record for homers in a season. The AL East champions also hit 242 in 2004.
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