If you are like me, you attended Monday night’s game with the hope that the Tampa Bay Rays would bounce back from an ugly weekend series loss. And though they missed a few scoring opportunities against C.C. Sabathia, your heart pounded wildly as Erasmo Ramirez put together arguably the best start of his young career.
You watched as Ramirez buzzed through the first 11 batters, until he allowed a two-out walk to Alex Rodriguez in the fourth. Yet just when you thought the Yankees offense might spark to life, Erasmo came back with a filthy change-up up in the zone, coaxing a ground ball out from James McCann to end the inning unscathed.
You watched as the smiley one retired the next six batters, only to get into trouble in the seventh after Brett Gardner worked a leadoff walk. Then as Gardner took off on a 2-0 pitch, your heart skipped a beat ― his activity on the base paths disrupted a traditional double play as Rodriguez grounded into a 6-4-3 fielder’s choice, allowing Gardner to advance to second.
Two pitches later, McCann lined a ball to the wall in right and the no hitter appeared to be DOA. Yet Mikie Mahtook made a phenomenal leaping catch to take away an extra-base hit! But wait, the play wasn’t done. Mahtook fired a strike to second to double up Gardner, keeping the no-hitter alive!
Erasmo had an out-of-body experience during @MikieMahtook8‘s catch: “I felt like my soul just come back to … https://t.co/vOt5ORn7T2
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 15, 2015
You yelled and screamed along with the other fans in attendance, knowing full well that every no-no has an excellent play in the field, and that had to be it.
When he made the play I felt my soul come back to my body, Ramirez said after the game. After that play, my mind was just set up to continue being aggressive and keep the ball down.
However, with just six outs left to go, Carlos Beltran hit a rocket toward first that deflected off Richie Shaffer and into right-field. You stared at the scoreboard, hoping for not that an E would appear instead of a tally in the hit column. But Beltran collected the Yankees only hit against the righty.
It was still Ramirez’s night, and he and Alex Colome worked through the jam, ending the eighth unscathed. Erasmo’s night was done 7-2/3 excellent innings after it started. As he made his way back to the dugout, Ramirez tipped his hat to those of us who yelled ourselves hoarse.
The righty was incredible on this unfair eve. His change was crisp, and he got it over for strikes 68% of the time. Ramirez also used his tight breaking curveball to get the Yankees contact-happy batters off his low 90’s fastball, collecting strikes on that selection 85% of the time. 
Weak contact was the name of his game, and Erasmo got that in spades, yet Ramirez also racked up six strikeouts along the way. It dawned on me as he walked off the field, if this outing did anything, it was to solidify his place in the 2016 starting rotation.
Hope that the Rays could eke out a little offense lingered as Mahtook kicked off a rally with a one-out single to left off Justin Wilson in the bottom of the eighth. Logan Forsythe responded by lining a double off the top of the wall in left with two outs, giving the team a one run lead, and snapping a 21 inning scoreless streak.
Of course it’s @MikieMahtook8 scoring the go-ahead! Three outs to get, @Brad_Boxberger on. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/weR2LCK6v4 — Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 15, 2015
The lead, however, was short lived.
With two outs, Boxberger allowed an RBI double to Rodriguez, tying the game game at one. Boxy intentionally walked McCann, then literal Soap Opera* character Slade Heathcott hit a three-run homer off a misplaced 90 mph fastball. The Rays lost a little bit later.
The roof of the Trop deflated, and we left feeling just as empty.
Orestes Destrade suggested the Rays of Our Lives.
The New What Next
Jake Odorizzi (7-8, 3.21 ERA) will start for the Rays on Tuesday night, opposite of RHP Adam Warren (6-6, 3.29 ERA). Odorizzi posted a quality start Wednesday night against the Tigers, blanking Detroit over six innings while scattering six hits. Warren, who last worked 2-2/3 innings on September 9, will make his first start since the end of June. The Yankees hope to squeeze 65 pitches out the righty. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.
Rays 9/15/15 Starting Lineup
Jaso DH
Sizemore LF
Longoria 3B
Forsythe 2B
Cabrera SS
Loney 1B
Mahtook RF
Kiermaier CF
Arencibia C
Odorizzi RHP
Noteworthiness
— Just sayin’…
@RaysBaseball, #Cash should’ve left Colome in the game. Boxberger marred Erasmo’s excellent start.
— X-Rays Spex (@XRaysSpex) September 15, 2015
@mikeisthereason@RaysBaseball Promote Blake Snell, shutdown Boxberger, and move Colome into the closer role.
— X-Rays Spex (@XRaysSpex) September 15, 2015
— For Ramirez, it was the deepest any Rays pitcher has gone this season before giving up a hit. He also became the sixth pitcher in Rays history to carry a no-hitter into the eighth inning.