Jordan Montgomery fans career-high 9 as Yankees win to snap three-game skid against Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jordan Montgomery’s third time was the charm, at least the Yankees hope. The lefty struck out a career-high nine and the Yankees snapped a three-game losing streak to the Rays with a 3-1 win at Tropicana Field Tuesday night.

Now, the Yankees (19-16) have to prove they can keep doing it against the American League East division rival that has given them the most trouble of late. The Yankees have lost 16 of the last 22 games against the Rays (19-18) and are now just 2-5 against them this season.

Despite the heated rivalry, which continued to simmer with Luke Voit, in his first game of the season after March surgery, and Brett Gardner getting hit by pitches, the game was overshadowed by coronavirus hitting the Yankees.

Before the game, the Yankees announced third base coach Phil Nevin, who had been fully vaccinated, tested positive for the coronavirus. Several coaches/staff were being held away from the team has part of the preventative measures. So, bench coach Carlos Mendoza was at third, baseball operations development coordinator Mario Garza was at first, instead of Reggie Willits, and bullpen coach Mike Harkey served as the pitching coach as well as keeping an eye on his bullpen.

Still, the Yankees managed to pull it together for a win that could be big for them with ace Gerrit Cole taking the ball on Wednesday. The Rays not only are the defending AL champions they eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs last season and then celebrated by playing the Yankees' signature song ‘New York, New York,’ as they danced on the field.

So, the Yankees have to hope that Montgomery, who’d struggled in two previous starts against the Rays this season, got them started on a new chapter to this rivalry.

Montgomery was really good and the Yankees got solo home runs from Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. They got their third run as a gift from the Rays on back-to-back passed balls.

Judge hit his eighth homer of the season, a long shot over the center-field wall with two outs in the first off Rays righty Luis Patina. It was his 19th RBI of the season. The Yankees second run came courtesy of back-to-back passed balls by Rays catcher Mike Zunino in the third.

Sanchez had not hit a home run at Tropicana Field since July 4, 2019. The embattled catcher, who is already losing playing time to backup Kyle Higashioka, has now hit home runs in two of his last three games played. It was his fourth of the season.

Voit, just back from the injured list after March 29 surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus, went 0 for 3. He was hit on the right wrist/hand in his second at-bat of the night. Gardner got it on the heel of his right hand in the seventh.

Montgomery had 17 swings and misses Tuesday night, nine on his change-up and eight on his curveball.

He allowed one run — a Zunino homer. He walked one. It was by far his best start against the Rays and one of his best of the year.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone pulled Montgomery after six innings and 85 pitches for Jonathan Loaisiga. Montgomery’s season high had been 89 pitches. Loaisiga threw two shutout innings and Aroldis Chapman, despite having a visit from the trainer on the mound and his velocity dropping, closed it out for his eighth save.

Montgomery had allowed eight earned runs over 11 innings pitched (6.55 ERA) in his two previous starts against the Rays, but in his first normal year after Tommy John surgery.

“I’m definitely starting better than I had in the past. I’m not quite at my best, I would say I’m still kind of a slow start. But I’m happy with how I’m throwing,” the lefty said over the weekend. “I’m going into the sixth or seventh most games, and I’ve given us a chance to win almost every time I’ve been out there. So that’s really all I can. All I want to do is just compete and keep us in the game.”

Tuesday night, Montgomery kept them in the game. The Yankees can only hope he’s starting a new trend.