The New York Yankees are facing elimination after another difficult night at the plate and in the field, falling 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

The loss puts Tampa Bay ahead 2-0 in the best-of-five series, leaving the Rays just one victory away from advancing to the AL Championship Series. The Yankees will return home for Game 3 on Wednesday night needing three straight wins to keep their season alive.

New York’s defense unraveled in the fifth inning, allowing Tampa Bay to turn a 1-1 game into a four-run lead. Richie Palacios delivered the biggest blow with a two-run single after a pair of costly defensive mistakes by rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr.

Lombard committed two errors in the inning, including a wild throw to first that extended the frame. Earlier, Chandler Simpson reached on Lombard’s first error, allowing a run to score. After Cam Schlittler was pulled, Palacios brought home two more runs to put Tampa Bay ahead 5-1.

Schlittler, who has emerged as one of the American League’s top pitchers and a potential Cy Young candidate, was charged with four runs—only two earned—over 4⅓ innings.

The Yankees’ offense again struggled without Aaron Judge, who remains sidelined with a calf injury. New York has managed only two runs through the first two games of the series.

Ben Rice provided both of those runs, launching two solo home runs. His first came in the fourth inning, ending the Yankees’ scoreless stretch in the postseason. He added another homer later in the game, but New York could not generate a rally.

The Yankees also endured a bizarre moment in the second inning when Spencer Jones hit a fly ball that struck a catwalk at Tropicana Field before being caught by Tampa Bay outfielder Victor Mesa. Under the stadium’s ground rules, the umpires ruled Jones out.

New York’s defensive struggles began even earlier, with the Yankees committing three errors in the first inning—an extremely rare postseason occurrence.

Tampa Bay received a strong pitching performance from Freddy Peralta, who allowed just one run and three hits over 4⅔ innings. The Rays’ bullpen then shut the door, with Bryan Baker recording the save.

The Yankees now face a must-win Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.

Game 3: Yankees LHP Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) vs. Rays RHP Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10 ERA).