Kluber's gem brings Rays within 4 games of Yankees

ST. PETERSBURG -- Before Saturday night, Corey Kluber hadn’t thrown a single pitch in the seventh inning this season. He hadn’t worked past the sixth at any point, in fact, since he completed a no-hitter for the Yankees on May 19, 2021. No matter how efficient he was, how much he seemed to be in control, the Rays kept him to six innings every time out.

They did so with the veteran starter’s long-term health in mind, above all else, as they wanted to make sure the 36-year-old right-hander would be fresh for September and, ideally, October.

But for the first time in 32 starts, Kluber returned to the mound to start the seventh inning against the Yankees on Saturday and, in characteristically stoic fashion, retired all three hitters he faced on 11 pitches. With seven scoreless innings, Kluber led the Rays to a 2-1 triumph over the Yankees, their fifth consecutive victory and 16th win in their last 20 games.

“That's what Corey Kluber is known for,” reliever Jason Adam said. “He goes deep in games. He dominates. … He put the team on his back today.”

It was more of the same for a Tampa Bay pitching staff that has allowed only four runs over the last four games. The Yankees snapped their 21-inning scoreless streak in the ninth inning, when Aaron Judge hit his 52nd home run of the season off Adam.

But Kluber carried the Rays even closer to the Yankees, who are 27-36 since a 52-18 start, in the American League East race. Tampa Bay’s torrid stretch through August and into September has it nipping at New York’s heels heading into Sunday’s sold-out series finale at Tropicana Field.

The AL Wild Card-leading Rays are now only four games back in the division race (three in the loss column), their smallest deficit since May 11. They’ve gained 4 1/2 games over the last six days, turning a race that seemed over months ago into one to watch over the season’s final month.

“I think we always knew we had a shot,” shortstop Taylor Walls said. “Nothing's given, though. They're still four games ahead. We can't look too far ahead.”

Kluber embodies that focused, methodical approach in everything he does. After three seasons shortened by injuries, he’s one of only four players from the Rays’ Opening Day roster (alongside Adam, Walls and Randy Arozarena) to remain healthy and active all season. And he’s been steady nearly all year, completing six innings in 16 of 26 starts for the Rays while allowing three runs or fewer in 15 of those outings.

But he was spectacular on Saturday, holding the freefalling Yankees to only two singles while striking out four without a walk. It was his 10th career start of at least seven innings with two hits or fewer allowed.

“Tremendous. Fantastic. Almost perfect, I guess,” Walls said. “It was incredible.”

So incredible, at such a key point, that manager Kevin Cash sent him back out for the seventh inning while Jalen Beeks and Pete Fairbanks warmed up in the bullpen.

“I've had some situations where I've tried to run away from Cash and not let him find me,” Kluber quipped. “He found me each time up until tonight.”

“We needed him,” Cash said.

Kluber leaned on his sinker, which clocked in 1.1 mph faster than his season average, and he complemented that with an array of cutters and curveballs. He was efficient and consistently in the zone, throwing 62 of his 88 pitches for strikes. The Yankees ran themselves into a key out in the first inning, then wasted a two-on, one-out opportunity in the sixth, and Kluber retired 14 straight between those two situations.

“They know how he attacks guys,” Cash said of Kluber, who has a 1.08 ERA in four starts against his former team this season. “But when he's executing like that, it's really tough.”

With Kluber on his game, the Rays only needed one run to win. Yandy Díaz gave them two in the third, taking advantage of Walls’ sacrifice bunt by lashing a two-run single that bounced off Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt and into right field.

“Our goal is to simply just be a little bit more focused, just stay on what we're doing, and the goal is to win the division,” Díaz said through interpreter Manny Navarro. “It's never going to be easy. We never said it was going to be easy. But as long as we stay focused, I think we're going to be OK.”