FLYING SOLO
Judge's 26th HR not enough for Yanks
A dramatic victory on Friday night polished over much of what has been ailing the Yankees lately.
They got another reality check in an 8-1 loss to the Rangers on Saturday.
Fielding something of a makeshift lineup after a short turnaround following Friday’s marathon win, the Yankees once again saw shaky starting pitching, a listless offense and a faulty bullpen.
“We’re just not swinging as well as we did before,” manager Joe Girardi said. “That’s the importance of pitching. Hitting’s going to come and go at times and that’s where pitching allows you to win games.” Not lately. Luis Cessa, starting in place of the injured CC Sabathia, only made one really bad pitch, but it wound up being a two-run homer by Carlos Gomez that gave Texas a 3-0 lead in the fourth.
The Yankees’ offense, which virtually was unstoppable on their last homestand, mostly was shut down by a 32-year-old journeyman, Austin Bibens-Dirkx, making just his fourth start in the majors.
Then in the ninth, Tyler Clippard continued his horrific downward spiral, giving up another four runs to eliminate any chance the Yankees had of making another comeback.
It ended with the Yankees’ ninth loss in their past 11 games.
Without Brett Gardner and Gary Sanchez (rest) and Chase Headley (back spasms) in the starting lineup — and Chris Carter designated for assignment following Friday’s win — Girardi went with more than a few backups against Bibens-Dirkx, a righthander who spent over a dozen years in the minors before reaching the majors this season.
A year ago, he pitched in the independent Atlantic League, but against the Yankees, he was sharp.
Two outings after he held the Nationals to one run over seven innings, Bibens-Dirkx did the same thing to the Yankees. He allowed Aaron Judge’s league-leading 26th homer in the sixth, a blast that landed in the visitor’s bullpen in left-center that made it 3-1.
The Yankees couldn’t generate much else before Girardi went to Clippard in the ninth, once again trying to get him back on track in a game they already trailed 4-1.
Instead, he allowed four more runs. It was the sixth time in his past seven appearances he has been scored upon, and he has surrendered nine runs over his past 1 ¹/3 innings.
“He’s really in a funk and we’ve got to get him out of it,’’ Girardi said.
If the veteran right-hander is unable to right himself, he could find the same fate as Chris Carter, the first baseman designated for assignment following Friday’s victory after he was unable to find his swing.
Carter’s replacement, Tyler Austin, was no better than Carter, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts.
Girardi also had Mason Williams in the leadoff spot for the first time in his major league career, filling in for Gardner in center. Williams had two hits and a pair of stolen bases, but the rest of the subs didn’t have as much success.
In fairness, neither did anyone else.
“When we get opportunities, we’re not cashing in,” said Aaron Hicks, who went 0-for-4. “[Bibens-Dirkx] was making good pitches.’’
Cessa, meanwhile, “threw the ball pretty well for five innings,” an unimpressed Girardi said — though the manager added Cessa would start again on Thursday against the White Sox.
Cessa did show flashes of promise. The first six outs he recorded were by strikeout and he fanned a career-high eight, but Cessa was hurt by a hanging slider to Gomez — and a lack of run support.
“I just made one mistake,” Cessa said. “But it was too much.”