Brandon Lowe stroked a two-run single in Tampa Bay's four-run sixth inning in the Rays' 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla., in a game that featured two bench-clearing incidents.
In the bottom of the eighth, the dugouts emptied when Arozarena led off and became the fourth Tampa Bay batter hit by a pitch — this time from reliever Albert Abreu. But order was restored as managers Aaron Boone and Kevin Cash talked near home plate.
The dugouts squared off in the next at-bat after Arozarena swiped second and third as emotions continued to run high in the final matchup between the American League East rivals. But again, peace was restored without incident.
Brandon Lowe went 3-for-4 with a homer, double and walk, plus four RBIs and a run. Arozarena was 2-for-4 with three runs and three stolen bases.
Zack Littell (3-4) surrendered three homers but earned the win over six innings. Jason Adam shut down the ninth for his 12th save.
The comeback, which started with two outs and the bases empty, gave the Rays the series win and a 5-1-1 mark in the past seven series with the Yankees.
Kyle Higoshioka and DJ LeMahieu swatted back-to-back homers, and Anthony Volpe popped a two-run shot as New York lost for the eighth straight time in the rubber game of a series this season.
Batting leadoff, Arozarena singled, stole second and went to third on catcher Higashioka's throwing error in the first. Harrison Bader's throw from center skipped to the dugout, allowing Arozarena to score.
On starter Carlos Rodon's next pitch, Lowe clubbed his 17th homer — a 433-foot shot to center — for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Higoshioka ripped his ninth homer and LeMahieu drilled his 12th —with both long shots landing near one another.
In the fourth, Volpe went deep to right-center for a two-run homer — his 18th — and a 4-2 lead.
After hitting Isaac Paredes in the helmet to load the bases in the fifth, reliever Ian Hamilton (2-2) fanned pinch hitter Josh Lowe.
But the Rays filled the bases for the third time in the sixth, and Harold Ramirez flipped a soft, two-out single over second baseman Gleyber Torres to score two and knot it at 4-all.
Brandon Lowe — the fifth straight batter to reach base with two outs — followed with a two-run single to right off lefty Wandy Peralta for a 6-4 edge. He added an RBI double in the eighth.
—Field Level Media