Cortes leads Yanks over Rays 7-2 in 1st game between rivals
By DICK SCANLON
Associated Press
ST. PETRSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nelson Cortes took a three-hit shutout into the ninth inning, Matt Carpenter sparked a go-ahead, three-run rally in his Yankees debut and New York beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 in the first meeting of the AL East rivals this season. Cortes (4-1) won his third straight start, striking out five and walking one in eight-plus innings. The 27-year-old left-hander lowered his ERA to 1.70, retiring 14 in a row during one stretch. Cortes has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 18 consecutive starts, two shy of the team record set by Russ Ford in 1910.