Drew Rasmussen gave the Tampa Bay Rays one of the best starts of the postseason Saturday night, throwing eight innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 win over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS, as first reported by ClutchPoints. Jonathan Aranda’s third-inning homer to right-center was the only run of the night.
After the game, Rasmussen admitted the moment got to him: “In all honesty, my heartbeat was about 1,000 beats per minute. So I just let Liam call the game and did my best to try and execute the pitches he called.”
The IAHHM Take
That’s the most relatable thing a pitcher has said all October. A no-hit bid against the Yankees in a playoff opener, with the whole baseball world watching, and he’s honest enough to say his heart was pounding. The trust in his catcher is the real lesson. When the pressure peaks, lean on your people and execute.
Rasmussen gave credit to the folks behind him too: “It takes an army.” That’s a team-first message from the top seed in the American League, and it fits a Rays club that doesn’t need a superstar payroll to win big games.
For New York, losing 1-0 stings because it means the bats went quiet on the biggest stage. One hit in eight innings is a problem no matter who’s on the mound. CBS Sports also pointed to a costly baserunning decision by Austin Wells that hurt the Yankees’ chances.
Game 2 is set for Monday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. ET. Keep up with the rest of the playoff picture in the IAHHM Sports section, including the White Sox’s wild ALDS run.
Your call: Do the Yankees bounce back in Game 2, or are the Rays about to take control of this series?
Source: ClutchPoints
