Yankees turnaround hopes dashed
IF AARON Judge participates in the home run contest next month at the All-Star Game, he would not have to look far for someone to groove pitches he could smash out of the park. His teammate Masahiro Tanaka has perfected that art this season.
There was no respite from Tanaka’s lengthy funk on Saturday as he allowed three long home runs and was chased after four innings in a 5-2 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
It was the New York Yankees’ fifth consecutive loss – extending their season-high losing streak – and left the Boston Red Sox with a chance to pull into a first-place tie in the American League East with victory in their weekend game in Houston. The Yankees have also lost six of Tanaka’s past seven starts.
For a team that has been bitten by injuries – designated hitter Matt Holliday was scratched just before the game with what was called an allergic reaction – a return to form could have been a salve for the Yankees.
The Athletics seemed like madeto-order fodder. Tanaka dominated them last month at Yankee Stadium, striking out 13 and allowing one run in seven and a third innings.
But it did not take long on Saturday to realise that that performance would not be duplicated. Matt Joyce ripped Tanaka’s first pitch far over the right-field wall, an estimated 407 feet away. Ryon Healy led off the second and fourth innings by hitting even longer home runs: 413 feet and 427 feet. Tanaka almost allowed another to Matt Chapman, who dented the leftfield wall with a 351-foot double.
The Yankees had toyed with the idea of starting Luis Cessa and pushing Tanaka’s start to yesterday, but with a taxed bullpen, they figured Tanaka was more likely to carry them deeper into the game.
“This is a guy we relied on heav- ily the last three or four years and we need a good start from him,” manager Joe Girardi said before the game.
Despite the pounding, Tanaka flashed signs of dominance while striking out 10. But he is still being punished for his mistakes.
The second home run by Healy was the 21st Tanaka has a llowed this season – the most in the major leagues and one fewer than he a llowed last year.
The slugging percentage of hitters against Tanaka climbed to .565, second behind Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo – and far above his career average of .390.
After Healy’s second homer put the Athletics ahead 3-2, Chapman followed with a single. Tanaka appeared poised to escape further damage after striking out Jaycob Brugman and Josh Phegley. But Joyce stroked a single to right through a shift, and Adam Rosales, who had struck out twice, flared a single to right to drive in Chapman. Jed Lowrie followed by beating out a grounder to second, bringing in Joyce to give the Athletics a 5-2 lead.
Domingo German kept the Yankees close, wriggling out of bases-loaded jams in the sixth and seventh, by throwing four scoreless innings.
On many days this season, the Yankees might have surged back to win. But injuries and fatigue have begun to sap the offence of its strength. Catcher Gary Sanchez (groin), who struck out as a pinch-hitter, and Aaron Hicks (achilles) were out of the line-up for a second consecutive day, and Holliday was also sidelined.
After the second inning, when a single by Austin Romine and a sacrifice fly by Brett Gardner briefly put the Yankees ahead 2-1, they did little to threaten Athletics right-hander Jesse Hahn and four relievers on a searing afternoon.
Judge walked and struck out three times. Shortstop Didi Gregorius was hitless in four at-bats, ending his 17game hitting streak.