Derek Jeter’s 2014 season has been one giant farewell tour. Jeter, a 20-year veteran and a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, has been greeted with gifts and standing ovations as a visiting player at nearly every ballpark in which he’s played this season. That includes Tropicana Field, home of the division rival Rays.
The Rays lost 3-2 to the Yankees on Saturday night, thanks to Derek Jeter’s ninth-inning, tie-breaking RBI single. Rays manager Joe Maddon wasn’t thrilled at the amount of applause that Jeter received on his team’s home turf. Via MLB.com’s Bill Chastain and David Adler:
Jeter added that the contest felt “almost like a home game”. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, “I’m not so sure I’ve heard his name chanted that loud at an opposing stadium this year.”
The Yankees secured a series win with a 4-2 victory over the Rays on Sunday afternoon. The 63-59 Yankees sit seven games behind the first-place Orioles, while the 61-63 Rays are 10 games out of first place.