Volpe becomes 20-20 player as Yankees lose to Tigers 4-3 in 10-inning series finale
DETROIT >> Anthony Volpe, one of the few bright spots in the worst Yankees season in three decades, became the 15th rookie with a 20-homer, 20-stolen base season as New York lost to the Detroit Tigers 4-3 on Thursday in the finale of a four-game series,
With New York trailing 3-0 in the ninth, Volpe hit a three-run, opposite-field homer to right off Alex Lange to become the Yankees’ first 20-20 rookie. Volpe has 21 steals in 26 tries.
“I guess it’s pretty crazy,” Volpe said. “I never really had goals or anything like that going into the season numbers-wise.”
Volpe is the second 2020 rookie this year after Arizona’s Corbin Carroll, who has 23 homers and 41 steals.
“It’s been fun watching him play the game. He’s gotten a lot of big hits for us today included,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Volpe. “With all that’s come with him and the expectations, he just managed everything so well, and I’m excited to see what he continues to do throughout his career ... It’s pretty eye-opening for a kid from Jersey that’s 22 years old and wins the job in spring.”
Shortstop Gleyber Torres made a game-ending throwing error. The Yankees were trying for their first four-game winning streak since May 27-30. Instead they lost on a walk-off for the ninth time.
“We could have had a great series, so this is a tough one to lose,” Boone said. “We just didn’t mount much on the day. We had a great ninth inning, but we couldn’t finish it.”
Beau Brieske (1-2) retired the Yankees in order in the 10th. With Kerry Carpenter the automatic runner on second, Miguel Cabrera grounded out off Jonathan Loáisiga (0-1) starting the bottom half and Parker
Meadows was intentionally walked.
Zack Short hit a comebacker and Loáisiga threw to Torres for a forceout, but the the shortstop’s throw sailed past first baseman DJ LeMahieu.
Detroit ended a fivegame losing streak.
“Kudos to Parker for doing exactly what you are taught to do,” Short said. “Go hard and keep ahold of the bag. He plays hard, especially for someone who has only been at this level for a year or two.”
Boone challenged the play.
“My first thought was maybe it was a takeout slide or something,” Boone said. “The throw was a little low, and he obviously messed up the exchange and didn’t get off a good throw.”
New York only two hits through eight innings and Oswaldo Cabrera reached on a bunt single starting the ninth. Kyle Higashioka struck out, LaMahieu looped a single and Torres hit what could hav been a game-ending, double-play grounder to shortstop, but Short didn’t field the ball cleanly and only got the out at second. Volpe homered
on an 0-1 sinker.
Detroit had had lost five straight by a combined 4011 and was outscored 14-5 in the first three games against New York.
“This has been a tough little stretch,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “The way the Yankees have been hitting the ball, when we didn’t turn the double play and gave them an extra batter, especially with the things (Volpe) has done this year, you just hold your breath.”
MARLINS 6, NATIONALS 1
>> Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer, and the Miami Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Jake Burger added his 28th home run of the season for Miami, which climbed back to .500 after losing eight of 10. The Marlins (67-67) entered three games behind San Francisco for the NL’s final wild card.
Braxton Garrett (8-5) and three relievers combined on a three-hitter.
Miami’s Luis Arraez singled twice, raising his major league-leading average
to .349. With his 47th multihit game, Arraez tied Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez for third, trailing Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. at 57 and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman at 54.
Washington lost for the fourth time in five games. The Nationals went 17-11 in August, their first winning month this season.
Garrett (8-5) allowed one run and three hits over six innings. The Marlins are 19-7 in the left-hander’s starts this season.
JT Chargois, Steven Okert and A.J. Puk each followed with a hitless inning. Miami pitchers struck out just two, matching their season low of Aug. 16 against Houston. The two strikeouts by Nationals batters was the team’s fewest since Aug. 4 last year at Philadelphia.
Joan Adon (2-1) yielded Josh Bell’s leading off the fifth and hit Burger with a sinkerball. Chisholm drove a curveball into the Nationals’ bullpen in right for a 5-0 lead.
Adon surrendered five runs in five innings. While he only walked one, Adon threw two wild pitches and hit two batters.