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Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

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Rays 4, Yankees 1: Notes from a big comeback in the Bronx

Posted May 10, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 10, 2012 at 12:19 AM

ROGER MOONEY
NEW YORK The Yankees have lost twice this season when leading after eight innings. Care to guess who beat them both times?

That would be the Rays, who did it on Opening Day and again Wednesday when Matt Joyce’s three-run homer capped a four-run ninth in the Rays 4-1 victory at Yankee Stadium.

Mariano Rivera blew the save on Opening Day. His replacement, David Robertson did it Wednesday.

Joyce’s hit was the first of this series for the Rays with runners in scoring position. The Rays were 0-for-16 in the two games, including 0-for-9 Wednesday, before Joyce’s blast.

In fact, the drought with RISP was 0-for-20 with 11 strikeouts stretching back to the weekend series with Oakland.

Here are some odds and ends from an odd night at the ball yard in the Bronx …

—It was the ninth come-from-behind win for the Rays and their major-league leading fourth when trailing after eight innings.

—The Rays are 4-1 vs. the Yankees this season and have won eight of their last nine against the Bombers. Wednesday’s win was just the third in their last 10 games at Yankee Stadium.

—The Rays had one hit in their first 14 at-bats Tuesday and had one hit in their first 10 at-bats Wednesday. Both were by Ben Zobrist and both came in the first inning.

—Jeff Niemann had his best outing of the season and pitched at least six innings for the first time in his last eight games. He allowed only one run in seven innings and did not get a decision, which leaves him undefeated in his career against the Yankees – 3-0 in six starts.

The no-decision also left Niemann winless (0-3) in four road starts.

—Joyce tied Luke Scott for the team lead in home runs with seven.

—In four plate appearances as a pinch-hitter since joining the Rays, Brandon Allen is 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and three RBI.

—The Yankees lost for the second time this season when scoring first.

—Derek Jeter’s first inning single made him the first Yankee to collect 50 hits in his first 30 games.