The Yankees pitched their 10th shutout of the season on Tuesday night — and this time, the middle of the infield had plenty to do with it.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Gleyber Torres combined to make a handful of excellent defensive plays to make sure a pair of unearned runs scored by the Yankees held up in a 2-0 win over the Rays in The Bronx.
Yandy Diaz singled off Gerrit Cole to open the sixth inning and Harold Ramirez hit a comebacker fielded by Cole.
The right-hander’s throw to second sailed wide of the base. Torres had to lunge to his right to make the catch, as there was a bit of confusion about who was covering the base.
Torres appeared to come off the base as he made the catch, but the Yankees challenged the play and Diaz was called out.
Jose Trevino said he was “1,000 percent sure” Torres had come off the base and Cole also didn’t have much hope the call would be overturned, but when it was, the Yankees didn’t look back.
The play loomed even larger when Cole then gave up back-to-back hits.
The second hit, an infield single by Ji-Man Choi, was kept from getting into the outfield by Kiner-Falefa, which helped prevent a run from scoring.
Cole made it count, getting Randy Arozarena to hit into an inning-ending double play, turned well by Kiner-Falefa and Torres, and the Rays didn’t score.
Manager Aaron Boone lauded Kiner-Falefa’s ability to make clutch plays at short.
“That’s when I have the most fun,’’ Kiner-Falefa said. “I’ve been a little shaky on some plays, but I definitely felt like I came through.”
Kiner-Falefa also doubled in the second and delivered an RBI single in the fourth.
“He’s just a gamer, man,’’ Boone said. “He made a number of terrific plays and came up with the big hit. He does a lot of things that help win games.”“He’s always had that instinct and that knack,’’ Boone said. “He’s just learning to rein in some aggression. He’s fearless on the bases, which is a good thing, as long as it’s done smartly. It was totally worth the roll of the dice on that play.”
Torres contributed as well.
After flying out to deep center to lead off the bottom of the second, Torres reached on an error by right fielder Manuel Margot with one out and Giancarlo Stanton on first in the fourth.
Matt Carpenter struck out before Kiner-Falefa singled to left.
As third-base coach Luis Rojas waved Stanton home, Torres alertly watched the play develop and was able to race around third when Margot’s throw home went to the backstop.
With Corey Kluber slow to get to the ball, Torres slid home safely for the Yankees’ second run.