TAMPA – Clarke Schmidt has made it known that he wants to go deeper into games.
He did exactly that on Friday, blanking the Rays for 6.2 innings at Tropicana Field in a 2-0 Yankees win. The series-opening outing matched the longest of Schmidt’s career and set a new standard for the 28-year-old this season.
Coincidentally, Schmidt’s only other 6.2-inning performance came in Tampa last August.
Longer outings are big deal for Schmidt, as he’s typically been less effective later in games. Prior to Friday, the righty had a 4.53 career ERA between the fourth and sixth innings. As a starter, opponents were hitting .348 against him the third time through the order. The opposition also had a .344 average when Schmidt was between 76 and 100 pitches.
Schmidt, leaning on his sweeper and cutter the most, totaled 87 pitches against the Rays. He also tallied five hits, two walks and six strikeouts.
One of those strikeouts came at the start of the seventh inning. However, Aaron Boone stuck with Schmidt following the free pass to Isaac Paredes, and the pitcher notched two more outs before exiting to an ovation from a friendly road crowd.
While Schmidt lowered his ERA to 2.95, the Yankees did just enough offensively to secure a win.
Their first run came in the fourth inning, when Anthony Rizzo picked up an RBI single with two outs and runners on the corners. That RBI knock was set up by an Aaron Judge walk and a two-out single from Giancarlo Stanton.
Tampa’s Taj Bradley was otherwise excellent on Friday. The 23-year-old righty, previously sidelined by a right pectoral strain, lasted six innings in his season debut.
Bradley also totaled four hits, the one earned run, two walks and seven strikeouts over 93 pitches.
Rizzo added a solo homer in the ninth inning, while Nick Burdi, Luke Weaver and Clay Holmes kept the Rays scoreless despite a bumpy ninth inning for the Yankees’ closer.
With their road trip off to a good start, the Yankees will ask Nestor Cortes to keep the good vibes going on Saturday. The southpaw, who owns a 3.72 ERA this season, will face the right-handed Zack Littell.
Little has been sharp for Tampa thus far, recording a 3.00 ERA.
