ALDS Game 2 Recap: Palacios Delivers, Seymour Shuts Down Yankees
 |
| Rays take 2-0 ALDS lead after Yankees' historically sloppy start |
Three first-inning errors dug the Yankees into an early hole they never escaped, as Tampa Bay capitalized early and got stellar relief from Ian Seymour to win 5-2 and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALDS.
Rice's two home runs accounted for four of the Yankees' total hits...
They are now just one victory away from securing a Division Series sweep for the first time in franchise history. The last postseason sweep for the Rays came in 2020, when they swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card round.
There could still be hope for a Yankees comeback. They were the last team to pull it off in the 2017 ALDS, when they came back from 0-2 down against the Cleveland Guardians.
Tampa Bay are now on the brink of reaching the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2020 the same year they lost the World Series in seven games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
How It Happened
It took the Rays no time at all to get on the scoreboard in Game 2. After loading the bases with no outs, Tampa Bay scored when Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. committed a throwing error on an attempted double play.
The Yankees were then called for catcher's interference before Chisholm nearly committed his second error of the game, almost overthrowing George Lombard Jr. on another attempted double play that left runners on the corners.
But the damage was limited as the Rays managed only one run. New York became just the third team in MLB history to commit three errors in the opening inning, joining the 1903 Red Sox and 1909 Tigers.
In the bottom of the second inning, Tampa had another chance to build on their lead with runners on the corners and two outs. But, just like in the first, the inning ended with a routine groundout.
The Rays are one win away from the ALCS! #Postseason https://t.co/5J6Gsv8eI4
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2026
Freddy Peralta continued to dominate through the third, retiring the first nine batters he faced, including three strikeouts.
The Rays had yet another opportunity to extend their lead with a runner on second. But Yankees ace Cam Schlittler escaped the jam once again. This time, however, the Yankees finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth.
Yankees slugger Ben Rice launched a solo homer for the team's first hit of the game. Cody Bellinger followed with a single before Peralta retired the next three batters to get out of the inning.
After a strong start to the night, Peralta was pulled with two outs in the top of the fourth after allowing a double and a walk. He finished with three strikeouts, three hits, one walk and one earned run. Cam Booser came in for Peralta and immediately walked Rice to load the bases for Bellinger.
The left-hander launched a drive to deep center, but it fell just short on the warning track as Booser avoided disaster.
That crowd pop #ForTampaBay | #Postseason https://t.co/yOkWGbxi0u
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 6, 2026
With runners on second and third in the bottom half of the inning, the Rays finally got back on the scoreboard thanks to a Liam Hicks groundout to make it 2-1.
Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler, who wrapped up his first career playoff start on the road allowing two earned runs — three in total — on seven hits and one walk. With just two strikeouts, it marked his lowest tally across 35 starts this season, despite still being the frontrunner for the AL Cy Young.
The pitching change did little to slow Tampa Bay down, however.
With two men in scoring position, Richie Palacios delivered a two-run single to bring home Simpson and Johnny DeLuca and stretch the lead to 5-1 before the fifth inning was over.
Rays reliever Ian Seymour was near flawless across three innings of work. He recorded four strikeouts, issued no walks, and allowed just one run on one hit.
That hit was Rice's second solo homer of the game, cutting the Rays' lead to 5-2, but it wasn't enough as Bryan Baker came on for his second straight save of the series.
Rice's two home runs accounted for four of the Yankees' total hits. They have now been held to just five hits in this Division Series, the fewest by any team in both the AL and NL. During the regular season, they finished 29th in total hits with 1,250, sitting just above the Cincinnati Reds at 1,231.
Ben Rice two-homer game! His second multi-HR game of the #Postseason https://t.co/KKcCKDnHN2
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2026
Game 3 of the ALDS between the Rays and Yankees is set for Wednesday, October 7th in New York.
No comments:
Leave comment here