There are two ways to remember the New York Yankees' 8-4 win Wednesday at Tropicana Field: for the first-ever use of instant replay in a Major League Baseball game, or another loss by the suddenly mistake-prone Tampa Bay Rays.
After rolling through August, the Rays have stumbled into September, losing the first two in a 19-game stretch against contending teams.
What's more, the 5½-game lead they held over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night is down to three.
Speed bump or a sign of trouble?
"Two losses," Carlos Peña said. "Just two losses. That's how we're going to take it. What's the alternative? The alternative is to sit here and stare at the standings."
The Rays are still in first place in the American League East, still in control of their own destiny.
Yet, frustration showed Wednesday.
Willy Aybar broke his bat on the ground after lining into a double play with the bases loaded an no outs in the fifth.
Peña tossed his helmet behind him after he flied out to the wall in center field to end the seventh.
Dioner Navarro threw his mask and helmet after third-base umpire Brian Runge ruled a towering home run down the left-field line by Alex Rodriguez in the ninth was fair. The historic use of replay took 2 minutes, 15 seconds and proved to the umpires that it was the right call.
"I thought the umpires handled it well," Joe Maddon said. "I still don't know if it was fair or foul."
Back to the frustration. Peña said the bat-breaking and helmet tossing had nothing to do with the loss.
"I throw (my helmet) all the time," he said. "I just don't do it on the field."
You could excuse the Rays if they are feeling the heat. The team built the best record in baseball by doing everything right. During these two losses, it seems they've done everything wrong.
They've butchered plays in the field, failed to charge groundballs that allowed Derek Jeter to reach on two infield singles. Edwin Jackson broke two bats in the pivotal third inning Wednesday, and both resulted in hits.
One inning earlier, Eric Hinske dived for a ball in left field only to have it jarred loose as he hit the turf. Ivan Rodriguez followed with a double down the right-field line about 10 feet behind first base and fair by inches.
"Everything seemed to go their way," Peña said.
As they did after Tuesday's loss, the Rays maintained Wednesday that it was one game and things would be different tonight when they conclude this three-game series with the Yankees.
"We've proven what we are, so for me to sit here and say this is a speed bump, no way," said Troy Percival, who allowed Rodriguez's ninth-inning homer. "I've seen us lose seven in a row and come back after the break and tear it up. When you lose two games to the Yankees, what are you going to say, they're a good team. Up to this point, we've been better."
It was the first time the Rays have lost a series since the All-Star break. It was also the first time they lost a series at home since mid-April.
And the Red Sox are creeping closer.
But Peña refused to show anything but a smile.
"When we started worrying what's going on with the Boston Red Sox or where we are in the standings, trying to protect the record or trying to protect the lead, we're getting minds off of what we should be focusing on, and that's playing our game," he said.
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