Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
BRONX, NY — On a night celebrating one of television’s most famous fictional Yankees employees, there was little for the actual team or their fans to celebrate as the Astros defeated the Yankees, 5-1, Thursday at Yankee Stadium on George Costanza Calzone Bobblehead Night.
Former Yankees prospect and now Astro Hayden Wesneski, causing the crowd of 41,203 to remain in their seats, limited New York to three hits and one run across five innings. The next four frames weren’t much different for the pinstripes, finishing with just five hits and 11 strikeouts, while scoring their only run on a Cody Bellinger sixth-inning sacrifice fly.
“Wesneski did a nice job for the most part, just staying off our barrels,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We just missed a couple chances there. Couldn’t cash in there early.”
Hayden Wesneski carried a two-hit shutout into the sixth inning before he was pulled after giving up a leadoff double to Ben Rice, who wound up scoring on a Cody Bellinger sac fly – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Gerrit Cole kept the Yankees within striking distance, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk over six innings. Though in the sixth is where he felt the most damage with Christian Walker hitting a two-run homer to extend Houston’s lead to 3-0.
And with the Yankees offensive struggles, Walker’s homer, his 24th of the season, felt like the nail in the coffin.
Houston, winners of five of their last seven games in the Bronx, will stay in the Big Apple this weekend for a series against the Mets beginning Friday at Citi Field – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“Strike throwing was again really good,” Boone said, claiming Cole pitched better than the final line suggested.
“I thought his stuff was good. I thought he had most of his pitches going for himself at different times throughout the night. But we just obviously didn’t get enough going offensively.”
New York’s only run with Gerrit Cole in Thursday’s loss came in the home half of the sixth, when Ben Rice doubled, advanced on a flyout and scored on a Cody Bellinger sacrifice fly – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Besides the offensive production becoming an issue in the Bronx (0-9 with runners in scoring position), the Yankees’ defensive problems resurfaced in the eighth as George Lombard Jr. bobbled a Yainer Díaz grounder before José Caballero threw high and wide of first, which allowed Walker to score Houston’s fifth run. Both infielders were charged with errors.
The 21-year-old Lombard has committed an error in six consecutive games after making only one over his first 14.
“It’s not acceptable,” Lombard said. “Can’t happen at this level.”
With Thursday night’s error, his sixth in as many as games, George Lombard Jr. became the first Yankees shortstop to make an error in six straight games since Roger Peckinpaugh in 1915 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Boone believes the rookie may be playing cautiously after the recent mistakes but remains confident in his ability, stating, “You start not wanting to make a mistake. The good thing about George is he’s so skilled and gifted out there, and foundationally, he’s really good too. So he will get through it.”
Cole also defended his young teammate, noting, “I think it’s just important to remember, he’s a young player and he’s working his tail off to get better.”
Lombard did supply one of New York’s few offensive highlights with a sixth-inning triple, but was stranded at third.
George Lombard Jr. (1-4, a triple with two strikeouts) was responsible for one of five hits by the Yankees in Thursday night’s 5-1 loss to Houston – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The struggles from Trent Grisham, 0-for-4, including a first-inning lineout, at the top of the order also continued. Entering the game, Grisham was batting .103 with a .247 on-base percentage and .432 OPS in the first inning this season.
Beyond Thursday’s loss, the Yankees are facing uncertainty surrounding Fernando Cruz as the 36-year-old Puerto Rican reliever has a partial tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow and is seeking a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister before deciding whether to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Following the news of a partial tear in his right UCL, Fernando Cruz said: “We’re looking at options. I’m really peaceful in terms of how I’m feeling. I have a powerful giant, like I always say. His name is Jesus. I know the best is yet to come in terms of my health.” – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Cruz, of Bayamón, Puerto Rico, who debuted at 32 after a 15-year journey through affiliated, independent, Puerto Rican and Mexican baseball, has a 3.33 ERA with 139 strikeouts over 110 appearances for New York during the past two seasons. Surgery could sideline him through most, if not all, of 2027, placing the future of his hard-earned major-league career in doubt.
The Yankees (75-58) now turn toward a four-game series against Boston (73-60), who trail New York by two games for the top AL Wild Card spot.
“We’ve got to flip the script here and turn the page,” Boone said. “We’ll be ready to go.”
With his home run in Thursday night’s Astros win over the Yankees in the Bronx, Jeremy Peña now has 16 HRs on the season with 44 RBI and an .813 OPS – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Oh, Peña: Jeremy Peña, the 2022 American League Championship Series MVP, which he was named the winner of at Yankee Stadium as the Astros swept the Yankees in the ‘22 ALCS, re-introduced himself to the Bronx this week, hitting two home runs across the three-game set—a two-run homer in the sixth inning of the series opener on Tuesday and a seventh inning solo shot Thursday in the series finale.
“Every game means so much to us, and we played great baseball here,” the 28-year-old Peña said as the Astros returned back to .500, improving to 67-67 with the win.
“That’s what we’ve got to keep doing.”
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