'Small-ball' Rays beat sloppy Yankees 5-2, build a 2-0 lead in AL Division Series

Richie Palacios hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of New York's sloppy defense, beating Cam Schlittler and the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their American League Division Series.

The Rays are one victory from reaching the AL Championship Series. Game 3 in the best-of-five playoff is Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Another sellout crowd of 40,226 at St. Petersburg's Tropicana Field was mostly full of cowbell-ringing Rays fans, who reveled in New York's misery.

ALSO READ: Rays, Rasmussen shut down Yankees 1-0 in Game 1 of AL Division Series

The "small-ball" Rays chased Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth inning - aided by New York's defensive miscues.

Small ball is an offensive style that manufactures runs through bunts, stolen bases, hit-and-runs, opponents' mistakes and productive outs rather than relying primarily on extra-base hits and home runs. Tampa Bay has excelled at it all season.

“Just constant pressure, constant long at bats, get pitches to hit,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think that's been our MO all season long, that we're a very contact-oriented team with guys that can knock the ball to the ballpark as well."

Jonathan Aranda lined a single to start the inning and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center. With the New York infield drawn-in except for second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead. Chisholm's only play was to first because he wasn't all the way in like the rest of the infielders.

ALSO READ: Rays, Yankees meet in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, and Tropicana Field is sold out

Tampa Bay's Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that shortstop George Lombard Jr. booted, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1. It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder's choice.

After Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr., Simpson stole second and Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard's throw to first was wide for New York's fourth error.

Palacios followed with a hard single to center that increased Tampa Bay's lead to 5-1.

That was plenty of pitching support for one of the best bullpens in the majors.

Starter Freddy Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4⅔ innings, Cam Booser pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and Ian Seymour gave up one run on Ben Rice's solo shot during his three innings.

Bryan Baker finished with a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.

Schlittler, who was 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and dominated Boston in the opener of the wild-card round, lasted 4⅓ innings. He allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits. Schlittler only fanned two.

“That's a credit to our lineup, because, you know, [Schlittler] can strike out anybody,” Cash said.

Rice sent a 2-2 changeup into the right-field seats to tie it at 1 in the fourth, ending New York's scoreless drought in the ALDS. Rice hit 41 homers in the regular season. His drive awakened Yankees fans in the ballpark, who were drowned out by Rays fans until that point.

Peralta retired the first two batters in the fifth before Austin Wells ripped a double and Ryan McMahon walked. Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases but the lefty escaped trouble when Cody Bellinger flied out to the warning track in center.

The Yankees made three errors in the first inning but Schlittler limited the Rays to one run. New York became the first team to commit three errors in the first inning of a postseason game since the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1975 ALCS against Boston, according to Sportsnet Stats.

The Yankees are on the verge of elimination — which would extend their World Series drought to 17 seasons. They were dominated by Rays ace Drew Rasmussen in the series opener and have scored just two runs in two games with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.

Tropicana Field's quirky catwalk helped the home team in the second inning. Yankees rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering flyball off a B-ring that was caught by Rays right fielder Mesa for an out.

Jones kept running around the bases as the ball rattled around and fell to Mesa, who ran over to make the catch in center. DeLuca thought he was camped under it in center field but started pointing upward when the ball hit the ring below the fabric dome. Mesa caught it several feet in front of DeLuca. Umpires conferred and confirmed the out, per the stadium’s ground rules.

On Wednesday, the Yankees will start left-hander Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) while the Rays will counter with right-hander Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10).