Yankees vs. Rays score: New York slams Tampa in ALDS Game 1 as Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge go deep

The Yankees slugged four homers en route to their Game 1 win

The New York Yankees continued their assault on American League pitching in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Monday night. The Yankees clobbered four home runs in their blowout win over the Tampa Bay Rays (NY 9, TB 3) and now have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. They've scored 31 runs in three postseason games. Game 2 is Tuesday night.

Thanks to an ultra-patient approach, the Yankees wore down Rays starter Blake Snell, forcing him to throw 84 pitches in five innings. They swung and missed only five times against one of the game's premier swing-and-miss pitchers. The Yankees received homers from No. 8 hitter Clint Frazier, No. 9 hitter Kyle Higashioka, and All-Stars Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton's long ball was a grand slam that put the game out of reach in the ninth inning.

Gerrit Cole was not at his best in Game 1 but was solid, holding the Rays to three runs in six innings. The Yankees ace struck out eight. The Yankees will give the ball to rookie righty Deivi Garcia in Game 2. Tampa will counter with Tyler Glasnow. 

Here are four takeaways from New York's Game 1 win.

Welcome to Slam Diego

They say you can't hit home runs against good pitching in the postseason but gosh, no one told the Yankees. After slugging seven home runs in their two-game Wild Card Series sweep of Cleveland, the Yankees hit four more home runs in Game 1 against the Rays on Monday.

The dinger hitters: No. 8 hitter Clint Frazier, No. 9 hitter Kyle Higashioka, two-time All-Star Aaron Judge, and former MVP Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton's ninth-inning grand slam sealed the win. This was the first time in Yankees history the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters went deep in a postseason game. 

The Yankees are the first team ever to hit at least three home runs in their first three postseason games and they are the second team ever to hit three homers in three straight postseason games overall, joining the 2008 Rays. That is not the team I would've expected them to tie. Baseball!

As for Judge, his 10 career postseason homers tie Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig for the most through 30 postseason games in franchise history. His last four postseason homers have come against three different Cy Young winners (Snell, Justin Verlander, David Price) and this year's presumptive Cy Young winner (Shane Bieber).

The Yankees have scored 31 runs in three postseason games this year, a new MLB record. They've scored at least nine runs in each game, and they've done it against Cleveland (lowest ERA in the AL during the regular season) and the Rays (second lowest). Impressive.

Choi continues to dominate Cole

Hitter vs. pitcher stats are a weird thing. They're often small samples spread across several years, which makes them not especially predictive, though I absolutely believe a pitcher can "own" a hitter and vice versa.

Case in point: Ji-Man Choi vs. Gerrit Cole. Choi took Cole deep again in Game 1. His two-run homer in the fourth inning gave the Rays a 3-2 lead. That came immediately after the Yankees stranded the bases loaded. 

Choi is now 10 for 19 with four homers in his career (including postseason games) against Cole. He's hit four home runs in 2020 and three are against Cole. That is certified ownership. Some guys just throw your speed.

The Yankees and Cole learned their lesson after the fourth-inning homer. When Choi came up with runners on the corners and two outs in the fifth, he was put on intentionally after Cole fell behind in the count 2-0. I don't blame them. Cole then struck out Manuel Margot to end the inning.

Cole was not razor sharp overall, holding the Rays to three runs (two homers) in six innings. He struck out eight. Fine work, obviously, but not his best. Cole has 33 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings in three postseason starts against the Rays the last two years.

No off days came into play

There will be no in-series off days during the LDS and LCS this year and that had an impact in Game 1. The Rays pushed a clearly laboring Snell into the fifth inning, including letting him face lefty masher Giancarlo Stanton with men on base. That sure seemed like a decision designed to spare the bullpen given the schedule.

On the flip side, the Yankees removed Cole after six innings and 97 pitches. He could start a potential Game 5 on short rest and the Yankees appeared to be saving bullets. Also, Chad Green pitched the seventh inning. The Yankees have shown a willingness to use Zack Britton for multiple innings in the postseason in recent years. Normally the seventh inning of a one-run postseason game would've been a Britton spot. Instead it was Green.

The Rays extending Snell to save the bullpen, the Yankees keeping Cole's pitch count down to save him for a possible Game 5, and the Yankees not using Britton for multiple innings are the sort of decisions we're not used to seeing in the postseason. They were influenced by the potential for five games in five days, I believe.

New York has the series edge

The Yankees now hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series and, historically, the team that wins Game 1 in a best-of-five has gone on to win the series 74 percent of the time. The team that wins Game 1 wins the series without going to a Game 5 more than 60 percent of the time. That doesn't mean the series is over, of course, but the Yankees have put themselves in good position. They have four opportunities to win two games. Tampa has to win three of the next four.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 11:19 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Stanton grand slam. Now 9-3.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 11:17 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

This inning is starting to get away from the Rays. Wade is an all glove, no hit infielder and Curtiss just walked him to load the bases with one out for Stanton.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 11:13 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Hicks tomahawks a single to center to score an insurance run. Higashioka juuust beat the tag.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 11:07 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

LeMahieu walks and the Yankees have a chance to tack on. Judge, Hicks, and Wade (replaced Voit for defense) coming up.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 11:05 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

The Rays used a four-man outfield against Higashioka and he still dunked a single in center.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 11:02 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Britton gets the Yankees through the eighth. They'll hand at least a one-run lead to Chapman.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:59 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

There was no steal attempt. Margot is out at second on a fielder's choice.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:57 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Britton walks Margot with one out in the eighth. Only a matter of time until he tries to steal second.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:39 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Arozarena lines out sharply. The Yankees are up 4-3 after seven. They're where they want to be, with Britton and Chapman lined up.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:36 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Green walks Lowe with two outs. Arozarena is 3 for 3 with a homer tonight.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:27 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Cole's done. Chad Green coming in to start the seventh.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:23 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Two straight innings with a leadoff single and a double play for the Yankees. They have the lead but have squandered a few opportunities.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:22 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

that was an outstanding double play by the Rays there to get LeMahieu at second and Judge at first

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:20 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Apparently Chad Green is warming, not Britton.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:17 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

With Britton ready in case he needs to be bailed out. NYY has been willing to use Britton for multiple innings in the postseason the last few years.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:17 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

yeah, I'd bet heavily on that

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:16 pm ET · Mike Axisa]

Cole at 97 pitches through six innings. Guessing he goes back out for the seventh.

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:16 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

Cole looked pretty well locked in that inning

[Oct 5, 2020 at 10:12 pm ET · Matt Snyder]

as it darkens, the marine layer should make its presence felt