<p>ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. &mdash; Gerrit Cole struck out 12 over eight stellar innings, Aaron Hicks had a sacrifice fly and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Wednesday night amid a coronavirus outbreak that sidelined shortstop Gleyber Torres.</p>
<p>Cole (5-1) scattered four hits and has five starts this season of at least 10 strikeouts and no walks to break Mike Mussina’s single-season team record set in 2001. He struck out all three batters in his final inning, including Brett Phillips on a 98 mph fastball to end the inning.</p>
<p>Aroldis Chapman completed the four-hitter to get his ninth save as New York won consecutive games, including postseason, against the Rays for the first time since July 16-18, 2019.</p>
<p>COVID-19 protocols impacted the Yankees for the second straight day. Torres was kept out of the starting lineup as a precaution as the number of confirmed positive COVID-19 tests among the team’s coach and support staff reached seven.</p>
<p>New York manager Aaron Boone said there were a number of test results pending. Pitching coach Matt Blake joined third base coach Phil Nevin and first base coach Reggie Willits as members of the coaching staff testing positive.</p>
<p>Six of the seven are asymptomatic. All are fully vaccinated, which Boone said was blunting the effects of the virus.</p>
<p>Cole has not given up a walk and gone at least six innings in each of his last five starts, which ties Fritz Peterson (1971) for the second-longest such stretch in Yankees history. Only David Wells’ six-game streak from Sept. 6, 2002 to Apr. 10, 2003 is longer.</p>
<p>The right-hander, who has walked just three batters this year, has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 12 straight starts, the longest stretch by a Yankees starter excluding openers since Whitey Ford’s 12-game run in 1963.</p>
<p>Jeffrey Springs replaced Ryan Thompson (2-2) with runners on second and third with one out in the seventh and gave up Hicks’ sacrifice fly.</p>
<p>Yankees left fielder Clint Frazier was ejected by plate umpire Bill Miller in the fifth for arguing after taking a called third strike.</p>
<p>Aaron Judge had three of New York’s six hits.</p>
<p>DOME BALL</p>
<p>Tampa Bay’s Austin Meadows had a strange double in the first inning when he hit a towering fly to right off Cole that struck an overhanging catwalk and landed back toward the infield.</p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) had his first live batting practice delayed due to back stiffness. … Hicks (bruised right shin) started after missing one game.</p>
<p>Rays: 1B Ji-Man Choi (right knee arthroscopic surgery) rejoined the team from a rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham as planned but is experiencing soreness. “I think this is just a minor thing and that there’s a chance he’s activated soon,” manager Kevin Cash said. “If it doesn’t go away then we’ll have to revisit.” … Closer Diego Castillo (right groin tightness) could return on Friday.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Yankees RHP Jameson Taillon (1-2) will go against Rays LHP Rich Hill (1-1) in the series finale Thursday night.</p>
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