Drew Rasmussen's No-Hit Bid Silences Yankees as Rays Steal ALDS Opener 1-0

Drew Rasmussen came within four outs of pitching the first postseason no-hitter in franchise history, carrying the Tampa Bay Rays to a 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday night at Tropicana Field.

Rasmussen was untouchable through seven innings, then watched the bid slip away when Austin Wells ripped a two-out double in the eighth. Wells was cut down trying to stretch it into a triple, closing the door on the inning. The right-hander finished with eight scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out 10 — tying the Rays' franchise postseason record.

The game's only run came in the third, when Jonathan Aranda launched a 417-foot solo home run off Gerrit Cole. It was enough. Bryan Baker worked a clean ninth for his first career postseason save in front of a sold-out crowd of 40,542.

The Yankees, missing slugger Aaron Judge — left off the roster with a strained right calf that has sidelined him since Sept. 16 — mustered almost nothing. New York finished with one hit, the first time in club history it has been held to fewer than two hits in a postseason game.

Rasmussen's dominance gives Tampa Bay an early series edge and a reminder that its pitching can carry it deep into October.