ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The second longest hitless streak in Derek Jeter’s career ended Wednesday night at Tropicana Field with a sharp single to center.
A week from Thursday something else a lot larger than an elongated slump will come to a close: Jeter’s final game in The Bronx.
“I don’t know, I really don’t know,’’ Jeter said about his mind-set starting Thursday night when the Yankees open a four-game series against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. “We will see. I am trying not to anticipate what it’s going to be like. We will find out.’’
Instead of attempting to think about what his final eight games at home will bring, Jeter wanted to enjoy a 3-2 win over the Rays in front of 26,332 that stopped a three-game losing streak and the hit that stopped a 0-for-28 slide.
“Right now I am just happy we won a game, I got a hit and I am trying to enjoy it,’’ said Jeter, who unsuccessfully attempted a bunt single in the first, grounded hard to pitcher Alex Cobb in the fourth and singled off Cobb in the sixth when the Yankees scored a third run. He grounded out in the seventh. “I am one-for-the-last two. It feels good.’’
The victory didn’t help the Yankees’ long-shot chances of claiming the second AL wild-card spot because the Royals won and lead the Yankees by six lengths with 11 games remaining.
The Yankees, who entered Wednesday’s action as the lowest scoring team in the league, received seven strong innings from Brandon McCarthy in which he allowed two runs and seven hits. McCarthy, who is 7-4 with a 2.54 ERA in 13 Yankee starts, finished his evening by striking out his final three batters on nine pitches.
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Dellin Betances, who fanned two in the eighth, moved past Mariano Rivera on the single-season strikeout list with 132 this season. That broke Rivera’s club record of 130 set in 1996 when Rivera was John Wetteland’s setup man.
David Robertson recorded the final three outs for his 37th save in 41 chances.
Now, with the Yankees facing a second straight October with no postseason games, the spotlight focuses on Jeter.
Next Thursday night figures to be a very emotional time at Yankee Stadium when Jeter follows Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Mickey Mantle into Yankee lore.
Before Wednesday night’s game, manager Joe Girardi said Jeter was more concerned with trying to extend the season than with his career ending.
“I don’t know if it is so much his career as where he wants to get to this year, back to the playoffs,’’ Girardi said. “That’s the No. 1 goal in his mind. I don’t think he would say there is possibly this many games left. I think Jete is going to play to the end. I think that’s the frustrating part.’’
While Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira have taken most of the criticism for the Yankees’ scoring woes, Jeter is among those who haven’t aided the cause down the stretch.
Jeter is hitting .164 (22-for-134) in his last 34 games and .249 overall. Consider this time two years ago Jeter was on his way to leading the AL in hits (he finished with 216) and you understand how much the fractured ankle in the 2012 postseason and missing almost all of last season cost the 40-year-old.
Jeter wasn’t alone in his struggles. Before suffering a high ankle sprain on Aug. 29 Jacoby Ellsbury was on an 11-game tear, hitting .477 (21-for-44). Since the injury, Ellsbury is hitting .154 (10-for-65).
Yet the bodies who are expected to stuff Yankee Stadium for the final homestand are likely to ignore the putrid hitting and the fact they won’t be doling out dollars for playoff tickets.
“He has meant so much to the organization, the way he has represented it and what he has done on the field and off the field,’’ Girardi said.