Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in 6 2/3 outstanding innings and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays clinched the AL East with a 6-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in the nightcap of a day-night doubleheader.
The Rays (96-61) won for the 20th time in 28 games and clinched their fifth division title. Tampa Bay last won the AL East in 2021 when it won a team-record 100 games.
Tampa Bay also claimed division titles in the pandemic shortened 2020 season, 2010 and 2008 and will head to the postseason as the top seed in the AL.
Rasmussen (16-5) took a no-hitter into the seventh until Heliot Ramos opened the inning with a double to left. Ramos eventually scored on an RBI single by rookie George Lombard Jr. off Kevin Kelly.
Rasmussen finished with 11 strikeouts for his fourth career double-digit strikeout performance. He finished two shy of his career-high set June 10 against the Boston Red Sox and the Rays won his 12th consecutive start.
Rasmussen threw a career-high 114 pitches and struck out New York leadoff hitter Ben Rice twice. He also struck out rookie Spencer Jones to end the fourth after allowing a walk to Cody Bellinger, who he fanned in the first inning.
The right-hander exited after walking Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Kelly retired Austin Wells following Lombard’s hit.
Yandy Diaz drove in two runs with a single in the seventh off reliever John Schreiber. Diaz added another two-run single in the ninth. The Rays scored their first run in the third when Ryan Vilade grounded out against New York’s Max Fried (5-5), scoring Taylor Walls.
Cam Booser pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Bryan Baker put two on in the ninth before retiring Lombard to secure the division crown.
Fried allowed four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out four, walked two and notched 10 ground ball outs.
–Field Level Media
