DELAYED HURRAY!
Yanks fall to Sox, but clinch playoff spot hours later
RED SOX 10
YANKEES 2
BOSTON — Deivi Garcia gave the Yankees something to think about Sunday, After four impressive starts in the big leagues and pitching his way into the playoff rotation conversation, Garcia got hit hard in a 10-2 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway.
The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Yankees and prevented them from clinching a playoff berth on the field. Hours later, when the Padres beat the Mariners, the Yankees clinched their 22nd playoff berth in the last 26 years. After the loss, the Yankees were back in the five-seed spot, which would have them traveling to Minneapolis to face the No. 4 Twins, after having flipflopped the night before.
This season, with MLB so concerned about health protocols to try to prevent yet another coronavirus outbreak, there are no champagne-soaked, clubhouse celebrations. Still the Yankees had been hoping to be on the field together to acknowledge when they clinched.
But, Sunday was just one of those anti-climatic days.
The Red Sox rode the strong start of rookie Tanner Houck, making his bigleague debut, to just their 20th win of a rebuilding season. Without much to look forward to in 2020, the Red Sox at least prevented the Yankees from setting a franchise record with their 13th straight win against their American League East division rival. Instead, the Yankees (31-22) finished the season 9-1 against the Red Sox (20-34).
The game was delayed for 10 minutes while a fan who had snuck into Fenway Park climbed onto the center-field perch where the TV cameras were located and shouted to the players. He was apprehended by Boston Police and according to the Boston Globe taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
Luke Voit hit his major-league leading 21st home run of the season in the top of the ninth, but the Bombers' bats could not get to Houck Sunday. They couldn't really do much damage against the Red Sox bullpen, either.
While the offense had been the headline in the Yankees' 10game winning streak, it did all begin with strong starting pitching. In fact, it was behind seven strong inning from Garcia that the Yankees got the first win of that streak.
But he didn't have it Sunday.
The 21-year old allowed a career-high six earned runs on eight hits, also the most he has allowed in the majors. Garcia gave up two home runs to Michael Chavis, a three-run and a two-run homer. He walked one and struck out two.
He generated just seven swing-and-misses Sunday, which was unusual since he had come through the minorleague ranks with a reputation of being able to miss bats. He struggled with his slider Sunday with both of Chavis' homers coming on that pitch. Known for a devastating curveball, Garcia threw only four.
“It was a matter of finding the rhythm that I wanted,” Garcia said through team translator Marlon Abreu. “Some pitches were there for me and some others were not. And I had a tough time putting a string of quality pitches (together) and finding the aggressiveness that I would like.
“At the same time, you've gotta take this experience and turn the page over and focus on the next start.”
After having pitched his way into the conversation about who would be lined up where in the rotation for the postseason, Garcia may have slipped this weekend. J.A. Happ continued to be the Yankees' most effective pitcher over the last month with eight shutout innings Saturday night.
Garcia, however, will get one more regular-season start to make his case. Aaron Boone said they have not decided which game Garcia will pitch this weekend in the season finale series against the Marlins at Yankees Stadium.
But Boone is still confident Garcia can handle a playoff assignment.
“I mean, it'd be nice for him to get out there, and definitely get another one under his belt, but I mean, from a psyche standpoint, or things like that,” Boone said. “But, I feel confident that he'll be fine bouncing back in whatever scenario, we put them in.”