Poor pitching spoils a big offensive night as the Yankees drop rubber-match in Texas

A rough night for Yankees pitching spoiled another offensive outburst, as the Rangers picked up a 12-10 win on Wednesday night in Arlington. Wednesday also marks the first time that the Yankees have lost a series since they lost two out of three against the Red Sox at Fenway in early April. Despite the loss, the offense continues to roll. The Yankees totaled 14 hits and four home runs in the losing effort.

Photo Credit: Michael Ainsworth/AP

The offense broke out early against Texas starter Doug Fister. A little help in the form of a Jurickson Profar throwing error put Aaron Judge at first base with one out. Then it was Didi Gregorius who stepped to the dish and clobbered a 1-2 Fister offering into the right field seats. The homer was Gregorius’ 11th of the season and his first since April 27th against Anaheim.

Three singles from Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, and Miguel Andujar then loaded the bases for Austin Romine, in the lineup on Wednesday after Gary Sanchez sustained a calf cramp on Tuesday night. Romine worked a five-pitch walk to force in the third Yankees run. Romine collected his 12th RBI in just 17 games played with the free pass.

After failing to score in the second despite putting two men on, the Yankees struck again in the third via the long ball. Neil Walker led off the frame with a no-doubter to dead centerfield, making it 4-0 New York. Although it was just Walker’s second homer of the season, he has now hit two in his last three games.

Meanwhile, CC Sabathia was dealing through the first three innings of the game. The big lefty hadn’t allowed a hit until a Shin-Soo Choo single opened up the bottom of the fourth for Texas. Things quickly snowballed for Sabathia, as Nomar Mazara took him deep with one out to cut the Yankees lead to 4-2.

The Rangers weren’t done yet. Some trouble with command cost Sabathia two walks, and with two outs it brought Ronald Guzman to the plate. Guzman continued his dominance of Yankees pitching with his third homer of the series, a three-run blast giving Texas the 5-4 lead.

The Yankees bats were quick to pick-up their starter, jumping all over Fister and the Rangers bullpen in the fifth. A Walker single and an Andujar double put two in scoring position with one out, and it was Romine again coming through in the RBI spot. The back-up catcher singled sharply through the right side of the infield, scoring Walker and tying the game at five.

The Rangers used a mound visit to try willing their starter through the fifth, but the breather did not do much for Fister. The next batter was Gleyber Torres. After falling behind in the count 0-2, the rookie sensation sent the next offering deep into the left field seats to make it an 8-5 Yankees lead. The homer was Torres’ eighth of the season, and his third in three consecutive games, making him the youngest Yankee to accomplish that feat.

Photo Credit: Michael Ainsworth/AP

Fister’s day was over and he was replaced by the right-hander Tony Burnette. Brett Gardner welcomed Burnette to the game with a line drive into center that he hustled into a double. Then it was Aaron Judge delivering a 471-foot bomb to centerfield, his 13th of the season, extending the Yankees lead to 10-5.

After the offense gave Sabathia the lead back, he couldn’t get through the bottom of the fifth. Three consecutive one-out hits led to two Rangers runs to cut the lead to 10-7, and Sabathia’s day was done. Jonathan Holder entered and, despite giving up a single to Profar, he worked out of the jam and kept it a three run New York advantage.

Aaron Boone went to Chasen Shreve in the sixth and the lefty allowed two singles before Boone went to the bullpen again with one out. With two on, it was David Robertson’s turn to take the bump and things fell apart for the veteran reliever. Consecutive walks to Choo and Isiah Kiner-Falefa forced in a run to make it a 10-8 Yankees lead.

With the bases still loaded, Robertson got a big strikeout of Mazara for the second out of the inning, but he couldn’t shut the door on the frame. The next batter, Profar, ripped a bases clearing double past Judge in right field, once again giving the Rangers the lead, 11-10.

Texas extended their lead in the eighth. After Dellin Betances turned in a fantastic inning of work in the seventh, he ran into trouble in the next inning. A wild pitch on a strikeout allowed the speedy Delino DeShields to reach with no one out. After an errant pick-off throw by Betances sent DeShields to second, and he promptly swiped third and scored on a Kiner-Falefa RBI single to make it 12-10 Rangers.

The Texas bullpen settled in and pitched four scoreless innings to end the night. Chris Martin and Keone Kela combined to retire the last six Yankees batters without allowing a hit as they would lock down a series win for the struggling Rangers.

Winning Pitcher: Alex Claudio (2-2, 4.50 ERA) 1.2 IP, H, 3 K

Losing Pitcher: David Robertson (3-2, 4.91 ERA) 0.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, H

Save: Keone Kela (10)

Notable Players

Gleyber Torres – 1-for-5, HR (8), 3 RBI, R

Austin Romine – 1-for-3, 2 RBI, R, BB

Neil Walker – 2-for-5, HR (2), RBI, 2 R

What’s Next?

The Yankees have off on Thursday before they open a three game series with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in the Bronx. The Yankees ace Luis Severino will take the mound for the Bronx Bombers. Severino has been spectacular this season, posting a 7-1 record and a miniscule 2.35 ERA. The Angels counter with the up-and-coming Andrew Heaney. The young lefty is 2-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 2018. Friday will be the second time this season that Severino and Heaney square off against one another. Their first meeting was in the April 27th game where Gregorius gave the Yankees the lead with a 10th inning home run. Severino turned in a quality start, allowing three runs over seven innings. Heaney was also good, striking out nine Yankees while allowing just one run in five innings. First pitch from Yankee Stadium on Friday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Article by: Jonathan Kohut

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