Rays clinch AL East title with 6-1 win over Yankees

The Tampa Bay Rays clinched their fifth American League East title with a 6-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday in the second game of a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, behind a dominant pitching performance from Drew Rasmussen. Rasmussen carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, allowing only Heliot Ramos' leadoff double before departing after 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 11 batters and threw a career-high 114 pitches, 72 for strikes, recording his fourth career double-digit strikeout game. Ramos eventually scored on an RBI single by rookie George Lombard Jr. off reliever Kevin Kelly, accounting for the Yankees' only run. Yandy Díaz provided the decisive offense with two-run singles in the seventh and ninth innings, the latter giving him an American League-leading 175 hits. Taylor Walls started a three-run seventh with a bunt single, and Ryan Vilade drove in a run with a third-inning groundout. The victory improved Tampa Bay to 96-61 and opened a six-game lead over the second-place Yankees, who fell to 90-67 with five games remaining. The Rays secured home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs and their first division crown since 2021.