Yankees Lose To Rays As Michael Pineda Gets Crushed Again

The New York Yankees were crushed on Saturday afternoon, as Michael Pineda struggled once again on the mound.

It was another rough afternoon for the New York Yankees, who had to suffer through another poor Michael Pineda start. This time it was the Tampa Bay Rays who got to Pineda, who have had his number throughout the 2016 season.

After lighting Pineda up through five innings for seven runs on 10 hits, four of which were home runs, on April 24th, the Rays hammered Pineda Saturday for a second time. This time Pineda lasted only 3 2/3 innings.

Things got off to a rocky start, which has been the norm for Pineda this season. He allowed three runs in the bottom of the first inning, and started the game off by hitting Brandon Guyer with a pitch. Evan Longoria knocked him in with a sac fly, but that was only the start for the Rays.

Logan Morrison would knock in Brad Miller with an infield single, which Corey Dickerson would follow up with an RBI single of his own two batters later. All in all Pineda allowed five base runners in the first inning, resulting in three runs.

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The Yankees were already in a deep hole, bit it got deeper in the second inning. Longoria would strike again, launching a two-run homer go give the Rays a 5-0 lead.

Carlos Beltran would get the Yankees a little closer in the fourth inning, hitting his 12 home run of the season, this one of the solo variety. It is the second consecutive game that Beltran has hit a home run in, as he continues to produce in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup.

It wouldn’t be long until the Rays got that run back though, as Pineda gave it right back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Longoria got to him for a third time, getting an RBI single to give the Rays a 6-1 lead.

That would end Pineda’s afternoon, as he was relieved by Nick Goody. Pineda’s final stat line was 3 2/3 innings pitched with nine hits surrendered, resulting in six runs to go with three strikeouts.

Hank Conger would hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to get the Rays to nine runs, touching up Luis Cessa. Cessa pitched cleanly after that, and is potentially a candidate to replace the struggling Pineda, who now has the worst ERA at 6.92, of any qualifying pitcher in the major leagues.

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The Yankees need to figure out how to fix things with Pineda, as they cannot continue trotting him out there every fifth day performing like this. Every time he takes the mound he is putting them into a tough position with a lot of pressure on the offense to perform. That is not a winning formula, and something the Yankees need to figure out sooner than later.

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