The Tampa Bay Rays fell 6-4 to the New York Yankees on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Yankee Stadium, squandering a lead that reached four runs and watching the bullpen collapse in the late innings. Ian Seymour gave the Rays a strong platform — five innings, one hit, no earned runs, three strikeouts — but the back end of Tampa Bay's relief corps couldn't hold it. For the Rays, it's a painful division loss that underscores how fragile a multi-run lead can be once the starter exits in the regular season.

Seymour Dominates Early, Rays Build Lead

Seymour was sharp from the jump. He worked five innings without allowing an earned run, giving up just one hit and issuing no walks while striking out three. On a night when the Rays needed length and efficiency against a divisional opponent, the left-hander delivered exactly that. Junior Caminero backed him up at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two RBI, and Yandy Díaz contributed two hits in four at-bats to keep Tampa Bay's offense clicking against a Yankees pitching staff that cycled through five arms.

Bullpen Unravels: Woodford, Hopkins, and Matz Surrender the Lead

The wheels came off once Seymour handed the ball over. Jake Woodford entered in the sixth and lasted just 1.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits. Brody Hopkins followed and gave up another run in a third of an inning, walking two batters and surrendering a hit. By the time Steven Matz took the ball, the damage was done — Matz allowed two more earned runs in 1.1 innings and was tagged as the losing pitcher. Tampa Bay's inability to convert a quality start into a win lands squarely on the shoulders of a bullpen that combined to allow six runs after Seymour departed.

Lombard Jr. and Wells Power New York's Comeback

George Lombard Jr. was the story for New York. The Yankees outfielder went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI, providing the decisive blow that flipped the game's momentum. Austin Wells added a solo shot — going 1-for-2 with one RBI — and Paul Goldschmidt chipped in two hits and an RBI to round out a Yankees lineup that made enough noise when it mattered most. Bradley Hanner earned the win for New York after tossing two scoreless innings, allowing two hits with no walks.

Turning Point

The game turned during the Rays' bullpen transition. With Tampa Bay protecting what had been a four-run cushion, Woodford's inability to strand inherited runners and Hopkins's subsequent walk-heavy appearance flipped the game entirely. A four-run lead evaporated across a stretch of roughly two innings — a sequence that will sting for this Rays club in the regular season against a Yankees lineup that punishes mistakes.

Key Performers

  • Ian Seymour (SP, TB): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
  • Junior Caminero (TB): 2-for-5, 2 RBI
  • Yandy Díaz (TB): 2-for-4
  • George Lombard Jr. (NYY): 2-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Austin Wells (NYY): 1-for-2, 1 HR, 1 RBI
  • Jake Woodford (TB): 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER — decision-maker in the collapse

What's Next

The Rays will look to bounce back in their next contest. Losing a game this way — with a dominant start on the mound and a lead in hand — is the kind of result that demands a response. The bullpen usage and sequencing decisions will be worth watching closely as Tampa Bay moves forward in the final stretch of the 2026 regular season.