With the win, the Yankees closed within three games of the Red Sox in the AL East race. The Yanks have secured the first AL Wild Card, so if the they do not catch Boston, the Wild Card Game would be played at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. ET. The loss officially eliminated the Rays from postseason contention.
Activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, Hicks made an immediate impact as he scaled the wall in right-center field at the 385-foot marker, bringing Ramos' first-inning drive back into the yard for a sacrifice fly.