Logan Forsythe hit a tiebreaking single with two outs in the 12th inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 4-3 Monday night after squandering a late lead.
Matt Joyce and Kevin Kiermaier homered for the resurgent Rays, who have their first three-game winning streak since taking a season-best four in a row May 22-25. They've won five of six overall and no longer own the worst record in the majors, a distinction that had belonged to them every day since June 4.
Brian Roberts homered off Rays reliever Joel Peralta with one out in the ninth to tie it 3-all. As the ball cleared the right-field wall, Peralta crouched near the mound and pounded his fist into his glove.
But the struggling Yankees were unable to muster any more offense and lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Chris Archer nearly became the first pitcher in more than a century to win his first five outings against the Yankees, and Tampa Bay pitchers finished June with 287 strikeouts — breaking the major league record for one month set by the Chicago Cubs, who had 286 in August 2002.
Brandon Guyer drew a two-out walk from Jose Ramirez (0-2) in the 12th and stole second base. Forsythe lined the next pitch into center field, scoring Guyer easily.
Brad Boxberger (1-1) pitched two perfect innings for his first major league win in 72 appearances.
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Archer allowed two runs over seven innings and was in line for the victory until Roberts went deep. The last pitcher to start his career 5-0 against New York was Washington Senators Hall of Famer Walter Johnson from 1907-08 — back when the club was still called the Highlanders.
The 25-year-old Archer has a 1.51 ERA in 35 2-3 innings against the Yankees.
Ryan Hanigan gave the Rays a 3-2 lead in the eighth with an RBI single off closer David Robertson. Hanigan's clutch hit came after Dellin Betances issued consecutive two-out walks.
New York pitchers have walked 16 in the last two games.
As the Yankees (41-40) hit the halfway mark of their season just off the pace in the muddled AL East, general manager Brian Cashman reiterated he's eager to upgrade the roster via trade.
"There are some things I need to do," Cashman said. "I'm ready to rock and roll. But again, I think those who have, are taking their time."
Despite his team's record (36-49), Rays manager Joe Maddon is optimistic his team has turned things around in time to make a run. Tampa Bay's bats busted loose for 12 runs Sunday in Baltimore, and Joyce picked up Monday right where he left off.
Joyce, who tied team records with five hits and 12 total bases the day before, connected off David Phelps in the first inning for his third home run in two games.
Going into Sunday, Joyce had three homers all season — none since May 11.
Kiermaier, who had three hits, made it 2-0 with a leadoff shot in the third, but the Yankees finally broke through against Archer in the bottom half. Brett Gardner grounded an RBI triple inside first base and scored on Derek Jeter's groundout.
