Ian Seymour has strong start, Rays flex muscles in beating Yankees

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Jul 7, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Ian Seymour delivered a third straight strong outing, and the Rays got their bats going Tuesday in halting a three-game slide with a 6-4 win over the Yankees at Tropicana Field.

The victory was a team effort, but the most notable offensive contribution came from Yandy Diaz, who hadn’t done much to help since leaving the June 28 game with a left shoulder strain.

Though the Rays had gone 4-3 since, Diaz’s contributions were very limited: two hits and no RBIs over 24 at-bats in the six games in which he played.

After grounding out to lead off the first Tuesday, Diaz came through in his next two at-bats. He hit a two-out single in the second to drive in the first Rays run, then a solo homer in the fourth, his first ball over the fence in a month.

Victor Mesa Jr. and Hunter Feduccia also homered, and Richie Palacios delivered an RBI double.

Seymour worked into the sixth and made basically one mistake, allowing a three-run homer in the third to Ben Rice. He struck out a career high 12.

Add the five strikeouts by Rays relievers, and there was a Yankees fan club at Tropicana Field for the second straight night, as they also struck out 17 times in Monday’s win.

The Rays improved their American League-leading record to 53-36 and extended their East division lead over the Yankees to four games.

The Rays grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second.

Mesa homered with one out. They got another run via the combination of a Palacios two-out single, Feduccia walk and Diaz’s single.

The lead didn’t last long, as Seymour made his only major mistake with two outs in the third. The Yankees had Max Schuemann, who led off with a single, on third and Trent Grisham, who dropped a fly ball in front of left fielder Chandler Simpson for a double, on second.

Seymour left a first-pitch sinker just high enough for Ben Rice — who earlier Tuesday announced he’d participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby — to knock over the left-center-field fence for a three-run homer.

On Monday, a three-run, fifth-inning homer by ex-Ray Jose Caballero sent the Yankees on their way to a 5-1 victory.

But Tuesday, the Rays answered right back with a four-run fourth and took a 6-3 lead.

The rally started at the bottom of the order, with a one-out single by Taylor Walls, a run-scoring double by Palacios and a two-run homer by Feduccia.

They added another run on a homer by Diaz, who was named to his second All-Star team.

All-Star Bryan Baker finished for his 24th save.