TAMPA, Fla. – The dream-big part of Cam Schlittler’s impact on the Yankees’ staff moved up a level Wednesday night.

At Steinbrenner Field, the Yanks’ hard-throwing rookie right-hander was perfect through six innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Leading off the seventh, the Rays’ Chandler Simpson grounded a 1-2 breaking pitch for a clean single to center, ending Schlittler’s perfect game and no-hit bid.

The typically large contingent of Yankees fans among the 10,000-plus people at GMS Field gave Schlittler a warm standing ovation for his effort, and the excitement continued in the seventh.

Schlittler battled against the Rays’ Yandy Diaz (strikeout), Brandon Lowe (walk), Junior Caminero (strikeout) and Josh Lowe, who walked on a 3-2 fastball that registered at 100-mph.

That was Schlittler’s final pitch of the night, and he exited to another standing ovation as Luke Weaver entered. As the Yankees fans cheered again, Weaver struck out Hunter Feduccia to preserve a 2-0 lead.

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Schlittler’s pitch count through six innings was only at 66 pitches, giving him at least a shot at making history as the club closely guarded his workload. He has not thrown more than 97 pitches in any of his first six MLB starts.

At the conclusion of his 6.2-inning outing Schlittler had thrown 95 pitches and finished with a career-high eight Ks.

In retiring the first 18 Rays he faced, Schlittler had registered six strikeouts and was nursing a 2-0 lead, on solo homers by Trent Grisham and catcher Austin Wells.

Schlittler, 24, made his big-league debut on July 9, going 5.1 innings in a victory against Seattle at Yankee Stadium. That was his longest start in the majors until Wednesday.

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Yankees’ Jonathan Loaisiga seeking second medical opinions

Oft-injured Yankees’ reliever Jonathan Loaisiga is “probably” dealing with a right flexor strain and was receiving second medical opinions, according to Boone.

On a minor league rehab assignment (mid back tightness), Loaisiga, 30, reported soreness in his elbow/triceps area on Tuesday and underwent an MRI.

In April 2024, Loaisiga underwent season-ending surgery for a torn ulnar collateral ligament. Various injuries have limited the talented right-hander to 50 appearances over the last three seasons.

Before Wednesday’s game, the Yankees recalled right-hander Allan Winans, after putting lefty Brent Headrick (left forearm contusion) on the IL a day earlier.

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Valuable right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz (right oblique strain) could be activated from the IL as early as Friday, after his latest minor league rehab appearance – a scoreless inning Tuesday at Class AA Somerset.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Cam Schlittler perfect game ruined in 7th inning for Yankees vs Rays