A BARREL OF GAFFES
Surging Yankees roll to rare laugher ahead of showdowns with Tribe, Sox
The Yankees finally found a rubber-game recipe:
Have the opponent forget the basics of the sport.
In a first-inning performance so ugly it would make the Bad News Bears blush in embarrassment, the Mariners gift-wrapped the Yankees five unearned runs, paving the way for Joe Girardi’s team to snap its streak of 11 consecutive rubber-game losses.
Seattle committed five errors in the opening frame — the most in one inning in franchise history — and the Yankees cruised the rest of the way, rolling to a 10-1 victory in front of 40,112 at the Stadium. All that was missing was Larry, Moe and Curly and some Benny Hill music.
“You look at the boxscore after the first inning, it was like it was backwards,” said Girardi, who was ejected for the fifth time this year in the third inning for arguing over a replay review that wasn’t overturned. “It was really strange, and we did a good job by capitalizing.”
The series victory was the Yankees’ first over a team with a winning record since taking three of four from the Rays July 27-30. It’s also the first time in a month the Yankees have won consecutive series. The Yankees have won nine of their last 13 games, and the surge couldn’t come at a better time, with the division-leading Indians and rival Red Sox, who lead the Yankees (70-59) by 2 ¹/₂ games in the AL East, coming to The Bronx for seven big games starting Monday.
“I think we’re definitely playing better and obviously it’s really important this time of year with how much time is left and the week we have ahead,” Girardi said. “You want it to continue, stay on a roll.”
Wild-card-contending Seatt l e’s defensive futility began on Gary Sanchez’s run-scoring single that went underneath the glove of left fielder Ben Gamel, allowing Sanchez to reach second. Two batte rs l ate r, Didi Gregorius’ pop-up behind second base hit the ground when shortstop Jean Segura pulled his glove away, loading the bases. The next batter, Chase Headley, hit into what should’ve been a routine double play. But upon f ielding the ball, Kyle Seager brain-locked. He looked to second base, then the ball popped out of his glove on the transition as he hesitated and started moving back to touch third, allowing a run to score.
After Todd Frazier struck out, Jacoby Ellsbury doubled in two runs. A third came around to score when Segura dropped the relay throw, and then threw wildly to plate — getting charged with an error that allowed the run to score, and another on the bad throw that allowed Ellsbury to get to third.
“You certainly need to take advantage when errors are made in this game,” Headley said. “Teams are too good. If they’re going to give you an extra out, you better capitalize.”
Segura became the first player since Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro (with the Cubs at the time) in April 25, 2011, to commit three errors in an inning. The last team to commit five errors in an inning was the Cubs on July 2, 1977.
The Yankees added to the lead, scoring once in the third and the sixth, and twice in the seventh. Castro was a big part of it, equaling a career-high with four hits, scoring two runs and adding an RBI. He’s hit safely in all three games since returning from the disabled list, going 6-for-12.
“He’s a middle-of-the-order type guy that can carry a team by himself,” Headley said. “It’s good to have him back, and he’s going to help us a lot in the stretch run.”
Masahiro Tanaka, meanwhile, made the six-run first inning stand up, tossing seven stellar innings of one-run ball and striking out 10. After allowing hits to three of the first four Mariners, he escaped further damage and gave up just three more hits the rest of the way to win his second straight outing since coming off the disabled list.
It sets up two big series this week in The Bronx, three with the AL Central-leading Indians followed by the Yankees’ last four games of the season against the Red Sox. Monday night will also be a premier pitching matchup, Corey Kluber against Luis Severino.
“We’re going to have to play really well to hopefully win a series versus [the Indians], and we know what’s coming after that,” Headley said.