According to Yankee media, the Yankees are 40-29 in the Bronx this season and need one more win at Yankee Stadium to clinch their 30th straight winning season at home (since 1992) According to Elias, it is the majors’ longest current streak and the longest streak by any team since a Major League-record 47-year streak for the Yankees from 1918-64.
Well guess what? It didn’t happen Monday or last night. What the crowd of 30,164 did see, was a second loss to a very scary Toronto Blue Jays’ club who are making a legitimate run at the wild card in the American league.
Toronto got a solid, 6 inning, 7-hit, 1-run effort from former Mets and Long Island native Steven Matz (11-7). The Yankees out hit the Jays 8 to 7 but the Canadians made their hits count. A combination of timely situational hitting and 3 home runs. Two by 22-year old DH Alejandro Kirk and one by Marcus Semien, who hit his third in two nights at the stadium for a total of 4 in his last 3 games. His 38th of the season to go along with a double off of Gerrit Cole in the first inning. All of that kind of sealed the deal.
The Yankees sent out their ace and possible 2021 Cy Young award pitcher Gerrit Cole in hopes of breaking a string of losses to the Orioles and last night to these Blue Jays. This makes it four losses in a row and 8 out of their last 10 games. Cole was getting hit hard for 3 innings. Even the outs had some zip off of the bats of the Jays. He seemed to be off. Then unexpectedly he left the game with 2 outs in the 4th inning because of left hamstring tightness.
Interesting that the Blue jays pitched two lefties, Matz for 6 innings and Tim Mayza for one inning against a lineup of six Yankee righties. Didn’t look like those two left handers were in fear of all those power bats from the right side. Aaron Judge hit four fly ball outs, swinging on the first pitch twice. All four were hit hard enough to leave the park but close is only good in horseshoes. The team had opportunities with Bronx native Andrew Velasquez (2 for 3) on base but could only bring him in once for their only run.
The way the ball flies out of ballparks today, five runs is not an impossible amount to overcome. What ever needs to be done to right this ship better happen quick as the clock is ticking on this 2021 season. Toronto is now only two games in back of the Red Sox in the wild card with the Yankees holding a slim half game lead on Boston.
The Yankees are not making it easy on themselves and another 13 game winning streak is a long shot. The loss of Jonathan Loáisiga, who is on the 10 day DL, and losing their ace Cole last night is a big problem. But not as big as the bats going silent. And so the drama continues.