New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays Box Score on Jul 29, 2021

Austin Meadows homered before an out was recorded and added another homer in a 10-run sixth inning as the host Tampa Bay Rays roughed up Gerrit Cole and cruised to a 14-0 victory over the New York Yankees Thursday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Meadows hit a three-run homer four batters into the Rays' half of the first for a 4-0 lead when he hit a 1-0 curveball from Cole (10-6) into the right field seats. Cole retired 16 of the next 17 hitters before things fell apart for the Yankees.

Meadows hit a single to start a stretch that saw 11 straight hitters reach safely.

Cole loaded the bases when he walked Wander Franco and exited after Kevin Kiermaier made it 6-0 with a fly ball to the warning track in left field that was dropped by Brett Gardner. Kiermaier was awarded a sacrifice fly and Gardner was given a fielding error.

Then the Rays teed off on Albert Abreu, who faced six batters without getting an out.

Brett Phillips made it 10-0 when he hit a grand slam into the right field seats and Ji-Man Choi hit a two-run homer two batters later. Following an infield hit by Yandy Diaz, Meadows hit a 2-2 pitch into the right-field seats that chased Abreu.

Meadows went 3-for-5. His second homer capped Tampa Bay's biggest inning since a 10-run frame against the Marlins on June 25, 2008.

Diaz also hit an RBI single as the Rays scored at least 14 runs against the Yankees for the sixth time and first time since a 16-1 win on April 19, 2014.

Meadows produced his fourth career multi-homer game and tied a career high with five RBIs. It was the third time Meadows drove in five runs and second time against the Yankees (also June 3 in New York).

Cole dropped to 1-6 for his career in the regular season against the Rays by producing his worst outing as a Yankee despite striking out 10. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

It was the second-most runs allowed by Cole, who allowed nine against Texas on April 20, 2019 for Houston. It also marked the 15th instance of a pitcher getting a double-digit strikeout game while allowing eight runs and first time since Zack Greinke on June 16, 2011 for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tampa Bay's Luis Patino (2-2) delivered an impressive performance by holding the Yankees to three hits in a career-high six innings. He struck out eight, walked two and threw 97 pitches.

--Field Level Media