The Tampa Bay Rays are one win away from returning to the ALCS for the first time since 2020.
The Rays beat the New York Yankees 5-2 in Monday's Game 2 to take a 2-0 ALDS lead.
The Yankees committed four errors, including three in the first inning, with AL Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler on the mound. The right-hander went only 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
"That's baseball," Schlittler said postgame, according to SNY. "It happens. We have a great defense; they've been great all year. Just didn't go our way in the first."
Schlittler added: "I'm not disappointed in our defense. I'm not disappointed in the offense. Really just disappointed in myself. That's baseball, and those things are gonna happen. But I've got to be able to work through those. I wasn't able to do that today."
Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda each had two hits, while Richie Palacios added two RBIs in the victory.
"Just battle," Chandler Simpson said when asked what the Rays' approach was against Schlittler, according to MLB.com. "Put the ball in play as best as possible, get runners, and just try to battle. We know he's a great pitcher."
Freddy Peralta, Cam Booser, Ian Seymour, and Bryan Baker held the Yankees to just four hits. New York has a combined two runs on five hits over the first two games. Ben Rice hit two solo homers in Game 2.
The Yankees are the last MLB team to win a best-of-five series after dropping the first two games, accomplishing the feat during the 2017 ALDS. Only 10 clubs have pulled off the comeback.
Game 3 is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium.
The Rays will have a chance to advance to the ALCS in New York after already winning the AL East in the Bronx on Sept. 22.
