NEW YORK (AP) - Derek Jeter got his chances. Oh, he got plenty of them.
Jeter went 0 for 7 for the first time in his career and the rest of the New York Yankees didn’t do any better in key spots, losing to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-5 in 14 innings in a wild game that ended at 12:57 a.m. Saturday.
“I don’t even remember the first four of them,” said Jeter, eighth on baseball’s career hits list. “It’s one of those days, know what I mean? Some days when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s something new.”
“So, no one wants to go, what did you say, 0 for 7? We had our opportunities. We just didn’t come through,” he said.
Jeter grounded out with the bases loaded to end the 13th after an intentional walk to Jacoby Ellsbury. Among his outs, Jeter also grounded into a double play.
“I don’t remember if I’ve had seven at-bats in a game. I really don’t,” he said.
Told it had happened a few times, he said, “Funny things happen, strange things happen at times.”
Wil Myers and the Rays broke loose in the 14th, and Yankee Stadium was nearly empty when the game finally ended after 5 hours, 49 minutes. It was New York’s longest regular-season game by time since a 16-inning loss to Oakland in 2002 that took 6 hours.
The late innings saw a bit of everything: Rallies by both teams, a wild rundown featuring seven throws, two calls overturned and the ejection of Rays manager Joe Maddon.
The Rays also spent time trading gloves when they went to a five-man infield in the 13th. The switching positions led to a most strange putout: Brett Gardner grounded out and it was officially scored as 3-9 - first baseman to right fielder.
Myers got three of the Rays’ 20 hits and put them ahead 6-5 against Chris Leroux (0-1), the eighth Yankees pitcher. Sean Rodriguez doubled home a run, setting up RBI singles by Brandon Guyer, Yunel Escobar and Ryan Hanigan.
Heath Bell (1-1) dodged all sorts of trouble, pitching 2 1-3 scoreless innings for the win.
Desmond Jennings homered as the Rays matched a season best with a three-game winning streak.
Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira and Alfonso Soriano homered as New York lost its third straight in Joe Girardi’s 1,000th regular-season game as manager.
“Our bullpen’s a mess. There’s no doubt about it,” Girardi said. “I’m sure there’ll be some conversations tonight.”
Ellsbury lined a tying single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for the Yankees.
In the 12th, Tampa Bay turned a wild double play that included a pair of rundowns. Soriano grounded out with runners at second and third to finish the inning. In the 11th, Yankees pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki grounded out with two on.
Ellsbury’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth off Juan Carlos Oviedo made it 5-all. Fans were still cheering when Brandon Gomes relieved and before even throwing a pitch, he tried a pickoff at first base - Maddon challenged the safe call and was right, and Ellsbury was ruled out.
Maddon got steamed when a flipped call resulted in a double play against the Rays in the 13th, and he was tossed.
Teixeira and Soriano hit consecutive homers in the eighth off Joel Peralta that tied it at 4. Tampa Bay bounced back in the ninth, taking a 5-4 lead on Evan Longoria’s RBI single against closer David Robertson.
NOTES: Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (3-0, 2.27 ERA) starts Saturday vs. RHP Jake Odorizzi (1-3, 6.85). Tanaka has won 31 straight regular-season decisions dating to 2012 in Japan. Asked how he’s done so far during his first year in the majors, Tanaka said in English “so-so.” Girardi chuckled at that assessment, saying with a grin: “I think he’s done pretty good.” Maddon said he was eager to see the much-heralded, $155 million rookie, adding, “He drives a 787 to New York City from Tokyo.” Kiddingly, Maddon noted how he takes an RV to spring training. … Girardi is 579-421 in regular-season games with New York. … Ellsbury stole his 250th career base. He’s been caught 48 times.
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