Bronx, NY- The Yankees won games in extra innings and in walk off fashion in the Bronx often the first half of the season. They were scoring runs at record pace and with runners in scoring position. Their bullpen could not be touched.
But the last two games at Yankees Stadium, and both in extra innings ended with a loss. Thursday evening the Reds won a series finale as if it were for all the marbles, a team that is far from playoff contention.
Friday evening in the Bronx, and with a sell out crowd of 47, 573, a good many standing, the Yankees lost another game they should have won to the rival Boston Red Sox. The 5-4 loss in 11-innings led manager Aaron Boone to say his team should have won the game.
Instead, after losing two of three to the Cincinnati Reds, and the first of three to the Red Sox, the Yankees can admit they have hit a rough patch. The Yankees for the first time this season have confronted some adversity.
Though, it is easy to say their best record in baseball (62-28)) still needs to be challenged. And it is fair to say their 12-game division lead isn’t in jeopardy.
However there are some signs of concern with two games remaining before a well deserved hiatus and the All-Star break, that is except for six Yankees who are headed to Los Angeles representing the Yankees on the AL roster.
“We’ve won a lot of games like that,” Aaron Judge said. He was referring to a Yankees team that leads the Major Leagues with 27 comeback wins and 11 walk-offs.
But that Yankees late game comeback and extra inning win the past two nights in the Bronx were not won. Boone was ejected in the ninth inning contesting the low strike zone of plate umpire D.J. Reyburn.
You can sense frustration from the Yankees manager, but his team had opportunities to win Friday night. The Yankees failed to deliver with bases loaded twice in the 10th and 11th innings.
Don’t forget the Red Sox are also a good team. Despite a 14.5 game deficit, and needing a historic Yankees collapse, they are more likely to be one of three AL wild card teams in October. Last week the Yankees and Red Sox split a four game series at Fenway Park.
“A little adversity never hurts anybody,” said Jose Trevino. “I think we’ll be fine.”
He grounded into an infield double play with none out in the ninth and it has been the late inning heroics of Trevino that led to more than one comeback win.
Boone, though, is frustrated and for the first time this season during his postgame press conference, the response to questions were abrupt and there was a sense of concern.
Whether it be the Yankees are anticipating the upcoming break, or experiencing lack of production on all ends from pitching to their at bats, losing five of their last six does prompt some questions.
Have the Yankees suddenly lost their ability to win close and late inning ball games? Has the first half marvelous run abruptly come to a conclusion? Friday night the Yankees were 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
Aroldis Chapman, out of the closer role, gave up another home run ball in the seventh inning, and for the time gave the Red Sox a brief one run lead. Michael King, who for the most part has provided late inning relief out of the pen, got the loss.
The Red Sox squeezed across their winning run off King. Xander Bogarts, the ghost runner, went to third on a fly ball to left and scored when King threw a pitch with two two outs that bounced past Trevino.
Again, these were the plays that went the Yankees way. Now, all of a sudden, they are not going their way.
“We had our chances,” said Boone with that different tone of frustration.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer with Latinosports.com Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com Watch “Sports with Rich” live on Tuesday Nights at 10pm EST on The SLG Network/Youtube with Robert Rizzo Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify under The SLG Network.
