Gerrit Cole's longest no-hit bid of MLB career broken up in 8th inning as New York Yankees beat Tampa Bay Rays for 50th win

TAMPA — Gerrit Cole will continue topping the list of best active major league pitchers without a no-hitter after a spectacular seven-inning performance in the New York Yankees' 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday night.

The victory put the Yankees a season-high-tying 33 games over .500 at 50-17, matching the historic 1998 club for the third-best 67-game start in franchise history.

Cole, trying to become the 13th pitcher to throw a no-hitter in pinstripes, allowed only three baserunners through seven innings before infielder Isaac Paredes' sharp grounder up the middle in the eighth put an end to the longest no-hit bid of Cole's major league career.

«I thought I had good stuff. I've never thrown a no-hitter so I can't tell you what no-hit stuff looks like,» Cole said in reference to whether Monday night's arsenal was good enough to no-hit the Rays. «I've had a few good nights before. Honestly, in this situation, I'm just glad we got the win.»

Cole finished with a season-high 12 strikeouts. It was Cole's sixth career game with 12 strikeouts for the Yankees, joining Al Downing (10) as the only other pitcher in franchise history with as many 12-strikekout performances.

Manager Aaron Boone and catcher Jose Trevino credited the quality of Cole's slider.

«His slider was special early and then he just got in a rhythm there. He was dominant,» Boone said. «I thought his fastball was great, but the slider seemed to be really good tonight. The slider was at a different level. They made him work a little bit so the pitch count was getting up there and I think he was gassed by the end, but I thought he was dominant tonight.»

«The way he prepares, the way he comes out, the way he just performs, toes the rubber