Cam Schlittler delivered a masterful performance, pitching eight innings and allowing only one run as the New York Yankees defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 on Monday night. The win ended a recent slump for the Yankees, who had won only one of their previous 10 games.
Schlittler scattered four singles and struck out eight batters, making the most of a limited offensive output from his team. The Yankees managed just three hits, but two were home runs by shortstop Jose Caballero and one was a solo shot from Ben Rice.
Caballero broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning with a three-run home run, his first hit off Rays pitcher Griffin Jax. He added a solo home run in the eighth, his 10th of the season. Rice extended the Yankees' lead in the ninth with his 25th home run of the year.
The victory pulled the Yankees (50-40) within three games of the Rays (52-36) for the American League East lead. The Yankees had previously held a lead in the division but had faltered during a difficult stretch in June and early July.
Schlittler's dominant outing followed a rough start last week against the Detroit Tigers, where he gave up a career-high six runs. Prior to that, he allowed four unearned runs in five innings against the Boston Red Sox. His performance on Monday marked a significant rebound and was crucial in kicking off a critical four-game series against the Rays.