For Alex Cobb, it was only 957 days. It just felt longer.
Cobb, the pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays who struggled last September in his comeback, wowed Rays’ fans Wednesday night in a 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees. Cobb went 5 2/3 innings and allowed only one run and four hits in the victory.
“I thought it was a battle,” Cobb said. “I was definitely the best I’ve been on the mound since the Tommy John (surgery). It’s not to the point where I’d like to end up eventually, but it’s good enough to go out there and compete.”
Cobb went only 1-2 in five starts last September, and in his last two, he went a combined 4 2/3 innings and gave up 15 earned runs.
“It’s night and day,” Cobb said. “I at least have the ability and stuff to go out there and get creative. I’m not going to dominate a game with the stuff I have right now, but I can go out there and throw like I did tonight.”
The Rays got a leadoff home run from Corey Dickerson in the first. Jacoby Ellsbury homered in the second to tie things, but Tampa Bay scored three times in the second on a two-run single by Derek Norris, then shut out the Yankees the rest of the way.
For Dickerson, it was the first leadoff home run of his career (in his 32nd game of hitting leadoff). Dickerson and Logan Morrison each had two hits for the Rays.
Alex Colome recorded his second save of the season.
For the Rays, it was the first time since 2012 the team has won its opening series of the year. The Rays’ bullpen had an era of 1.08 in the series.
Tampa Bay now is home against Toronto in a four-game series.
