It goes from bad to worse for the 2023 Yankees as the embarrassing losses just keep on coming.
Four batters into the game, the Yankees trailed 4-0 and that was all she wrote as the Boston Red Sox continued to dominate their rivals this season with an 8-3 win.
Boston has won 6 of the 7 games played, including 3 of 4 at Yankee Stadium, while they’ve outscored the Yankees 40-18 in the seven games played.
It was the sixth straight loss for the Yankees, who have fallen to two games under .500 and continue to fade fast from the AL Wild Card race.
“It’s easy when it’s going good and you’re rolling out there. This sport will make you reveal your character,” Yankee Manager Aaron Boone said after another frustrating loss. “For us right now, it’s about continuing to show up with an edge, ready to put in the work and trusting that today is the day that we start to get this rollin’ again.”
As usual, the offensive numbers were putrid. Yankees were 0 for 6 with RISP and struck out 11 times. Bosox were 7 for 11 with RISP.
Alex Verdugo led off the game with a double down the right field line off of Yankee starter and loser Jhony Brito. Rafael Devers, who owns the Yankees, singled to center to send Verdugo to third where he scored on a single by Justin Turner.
There was a bit of a controversy concerning pitch-com. Apparently, the Yankees were told to disable theirs because the Red Sox pitch-com was not working. “They [the umpires] felt they [technicians] could fix ‘em so after the second inning they said it’s not gotta be working. Interesting timing of that right there, not an ideal situation,” Boone said.
Boone may have intimated some gamesmanshp on the part of the Red Sox but losing the pitch-com has an effect on how the Yankees defense is employed. “The biggest thing is, ‘cause we run all the running game now through the pitch-com, so throw overs, first and third defenses get thrown off a little bit, especially with the timing of it,’ he said.
With catcher Ben Rortvedt having to resort to the old fashioned way of giving signs, Masataka Yoshida unloaded on Brito’s 1-0, hanging change up for a three run homer into the right center field seats and a commanding 4-0 lead.
Boston added three more runs in the second, keyed by Gleyber Torres’ 11th error of the season.
With one out, Pablo Reyes reached when Torres fielded his grounder, but dropped it as he tried to throw to first. That opened the floodgates as the Red Sox got four straight hits to take a 7-0 lead.
After Verdugo singled to put runners on first and third, Devers, Turner and Yoshida all followed with run scoring singles, as the Yankees were lustily booed by the fans who have lost patience with this team.
The top four hitters (Verdugo, Devers, Turner, Yoshida) in the Red Sox lineup combined to go 11 for 18 with a HR, eight RBIs and seven runs scored.
Brito was knocked around for 7 runs, 6 earned on 9 hits in 2.2 innings pitched. Boone said execution was the issue. “He’s up with his changeup. They obviously made him pay for it,” said Boone.
Meanwhile Red Sox starter Brayan Bello is building a reputation as being a Yankee killer. The 24-year old right hander gave up a run in six innings. In three appearances against the Yankees this season, Bello has posted a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings pitched.
“He’s put together a really nice season, obviously he [Bello] runs out to a big lead so he’s able to attack, Boone said. “We made him work a little bit, got his pitch count up. That sinker, especially for our righties, which really complements his other stuff, he can be tough.”
The only run that came off Bello was scored on a ground out by D.J. LeMahieu to score Anthony Volpe, who had two hits.
LeMahieu, who is one of the few Yankees who is doing any hitting at all, also had two hits and is slashing .355/.429/.419 with an OPS of .848 this month. LeMahieu has looked more like old self lately. Since July 6th, he is hitting .311 (28 for 90).
Aaron Judge gave the sell out crowd of 44,566 a thrill with his 23rd home run of the season, a two run shot off of Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock in the 8th inning to narrow the gap to 7-3. It was Judge’s first home run at home since he returned from injury.
Boston closed the scoring in the ninth. Verdugo doubled with two out. A wild pitch by Yankee reliever Greg Weissert moved Verdugo to third where he scored on Devers’ infield single.
The Yankees threatened in the ninth. Torres singled and Isiah Kiner-Falefa stroked a pinch hit double to put runners on second and third against Red Sox left hand reliever Brennan Bernardino with nobody out.
After Harrison Bader (who had a brutal night) struck out for a third time (twice looking), Boston went to the bullpen for right hander Chris Martin to face Volpe. The Yankee shortstop struck out looking and Martin got Rortvedt on a fly out to left to end it.
When Judge was sidelined, the Yankees were banking on his return to spark the club. Since he came back, the Yankees are 24-37 and continue to plummet. The Yankees now trail the Seattle Mariners by seven games for the third AL WC spot with 40 to play.
The post season never seemed so far away.