Rodon Deals, Grisham Seals It: Yankees Win 1-0 Nail-Biter Over Rays
The New York Yankees continued their early-season momentum on Friday night with a textbook display of pitching dominance, edging the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 at George M. Steinbrenner Field. It marked the Yankees’ fifth consecutive win, as Carlos Rodon and a trio of relievers combined for a three-hit shutout to take the opening game of this four-game set.
Trent Grisham’s second-inning RBI single was the only offence either side could muster in a tightly contested affair defined by pitching duels and defensive highlights — a theme our America Bet preview for the MLB Match Fixtures 18/04/25 had correctly hinted at.
Rodon Returns to Form
Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon looked every bit the ace on Friday, bouncing back from earlier-season inconsistency with six dominant innings. He scattered two hits and four walks while striking out nine — none bigger than his three consecutive punchouts in the first inning after allowing a walk and a single to start the game.
Rodon’s fastball was sharp, his slider biting, and he got stronger as the game progressed. His ability to pitch out of traffic and keep Tampa’s bats quiet earned him his second win of the season and shaved his ERA back under 4.00.
Bullpen Locks it Down
After Rodon’s exit, the Yankees’ bullpen took over and didn’t miss a beat. Mark Leiter Jr. pitched a scoreless seventh and benefitted from one of the game’s most critical defensive plays: a laser relay throw that cut down Jonathan Aranda stretching a leadoff double into a triple.
Fernando Cruz was effective in the eighth, and Luke Weaver needed just 10 pitches to retire the side in order in the ninth, collecting his second save of the season.
Offence Sparse, But Timely
The lone run came in the top of the second inning. After Paul Goldschmidt, who was responsible for three of the Yankees’ five hits, singled to lead off, a walk to J.C. Escarra set the table. After Anthony Volpe struck out, Trent Grisham came through with a clutch single to centre, plating Goldschmidt and giving the Yankees the 1-0 advantage they’d never relinquish.
Despite being the only run, the Yankees had other chances. Ben Rice nearly added insurance in the eighth with a deep fly to centre, only for Jose Caballero to rob him with a leaping catch at the wall.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, will rue missed opportunities — stranding multiple runners in key spots and going hitless in critical moments. Over the first two games of the series, they’ve left 15 runners on base and are now on a four-game losing streak.
Drew Rasmussen Holds His Own
Rays starter Drew Rasmussen deserved better. He tossed a season-high 5 2/3 innings, giving up just one run on three hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts. He kept the Yankees off balance and navigated tough spots in the third and fifth innings to keep Tampa in it. But with little run support and missed chances by the Rays’ offence, his strong outing wasn’t enough.
America Bet – Betting Tips Review
This matchup was projected as a tight one in our America Bet preview — a low-scoring affair between quality starters and defences. Here’s how our predictions fared:
Betting Tips Performance
✅ Total Runs – Under 8.5 – Only 1 run scored
✅ Carlos Rodon to Record the Win – Dominant and earned the W
✅ Trent Grisham to Record an RBI – Got the game-winner
⚠️ Total Strikeouts – Rodon & Rasmussen Over 10.5 – Finished with 16 combined
⚠️ Paul Goldschmidt Over 1.5 Total Bases – Three hits! Easily covered
❌ Anthony Volpe to Record a Hit – Went hitless
❌ Rays to Score First – Yankees struck in the second
⚠️ Rays Total Hits – Under 6.5 – Ended with just three
❌ Both Teams to Score in First Inning – Yes – Only one run came in the second
✅ Yankees to Win by 1-2 Runs – Hit perfectly with a 1-0 result
It was a strong performance for bettors leaning on New York’s arms and a tightly contested game. The low-scoring nature, lack of extra-base hits, and strong strikeout numbers made it a profitable night for punters who followed the preview.
Looking Ahead
The Yankees are on a roll, winning seven of their last nine and starting to show the kind of all-around excellence that defines contenders. Rodon’s resurgence, the steadiness of the bullpen, and contributions from both veterans and role players continue to be key to their early-season success.
For the Rays, the concern is growing. They’ve now lost four in a row, their offence is sputtering, and despite quality outings from their starters, the results just aren’t coming. Manager Kevin Cash will need to find a way to get his hitters going — and quickly — before this early skid becomes a trend.
One thing is clear: if this game is any indicator of how the series will unfold, fans are in for a tightly contested, low-scoring chess match for the remainder of the weekend.
