Austin Wells' base‑running error ends Rasmussen’s no‑hit bid in ALDS Game 1

Wells' aggressive stretch attempt cost the Yankees a chance to tie the 1‑0 game against the Rays.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 04 Oct 2026 05:52:46 GMT

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth inning of Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, ending Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen’s no‑hit bid, but was thrown out at third while trying to stretch the hit into a triple, leaving the Rays ahead 1‑0.

What happened

With two outs in the top of the eighth and New York trailing 1‑0, Wells hit a liner just inside the right‑field foul line and reached second base. He then attempted to turn the double into a triple. Third‑base coach Luis Rojas raised his arms to signal a stop, but Wells ran past the signal. A relay from shortstop Taylor Walls to third‑baseman Junior Caminero resulted in Wells being tagged out at third.

What the reports add

Bleacher Report noted that the Yankees had been no‑hit through seven innings and that Wells’ sprint speed ranks among the slowest on the team at 26.0 ft/s, according to Statcast. The Winnipeg Free Press described the relay in detail, specifying that Walls’ throw reached Caminero, who was positioned near right‑fielder Victor Mesa Jr., and that the play ended the no‑hit bid.

What was said

Wells told reporters, "I thought it kicked off more than it did, he made a good play on the ball," and added, "Two outs there, trying to make something happen, be aggressive with not much going on in the game. Obviously, love to be safe there or standing on second base." He later said, "As you can see, that wins and loses games. You have to take risks. But in that situation, obviously the risk was wrong. I can't tell you if I'd go again because the situation would be different. I took the risk, didn't work out." (Bleacher Report)

How it came about

The Yankees entered the series after sweeping the Red Sox in a wild‑card matchup, as detailed in Felo’s ALDS preview. Earlier coverage noted the addition of left‑hander Ryan Weathers to the roster (Felo) and predictions that the Yankees could win the series (Felo). Rasmussen’s strong start continued the Rays’ dominance after clinching the AL East earlier in the season (Felo).

Key facts

Austin Wells doubled with two outs in the top of the eighth inning of ALDS Game 1. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Wells was thrown out at third while attempting to stretch the double into a triple. (bleacherreport.com)
The play ended Drew Rasmussen’s no‑hit bid after seven scoreless innings. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Rays led the game 1‑0 at the time of the play. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Third‑base coach Luis Rojas signaled a stop, which Wells ignored. (bleacherreport.com)