Alexander came away with a no-decision Friday in a 5-3 loss to the Yankees, scattering two hits and a walk over 5.1 scoreless innings while striking out four.
The left-hander didn't allow a Yankee to get past second base and left the game with a 1-0 lead, but the Rays' struggling bullpen made a mess once again. Alexander tossed 52 of 79 pitches for strikes, and after two straight strong performances, he appears to be locking down a regular turn in the Tampa Bay rotation either as a traditional starter or a bulk reliever -- he's made two appearances this season in each role so far. Alexander will take a 4.79 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB through 20.2 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come at home next week against the Tigers.