Rays Reach .500 With Shutout Of Yankees
Published at
Tom Szczerbowkski/Getty Images(ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.) — Just over two months ago, the Tampa Bay Rays sat 18 games under .500 at 24-42. Now, following a 5-0 win against the New York Yankees, the Rays are back even with a 61-61 record.
“Really proud of the boys,” manager Joe Maddon said. “It was not easy.”
Alex Cobb certainly made it look easy for the Rays who won their third straight. The righty pitched into the eighth inning, allowing just six hits in 7 1/3 innings of work with eight strikeouts. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay plated a pair of first inning runs in the first to give Cobb a lead to use.
The Rays become just the fourth team ever to get back to .500 after being 18 games under earlier. Back in 2004, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays also completed the feat, as did the 2006 Florida Marlins and 1899 Louisville Colonels.
“It started with Joe and not letting us believe that we were that team,” Cobb said. “It’s mind-boggling that we went through the stretch we did, but we’re back on track now.”
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio