YANKS TUMBLE VS. JAYS
Boone says Yanks have to play real clean as bats scuffle in latest loss
DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Yankees’ first road trip of the season ended the same way it started: with a loss to a division rival.
Chad Green gave up a homer to Bo Bichette to lead off the bottom of the ninth, and the Blue Jays won 5-4 on Wednesday at TD Ballpark.
It was Bichette’s second solo home run of the day. More importantly for the Yankees, it meant they had lost another series to a division rival.
“We’ve got to play better in every area,’’ manager Aaron Boone said after his team fell to 5-7 and into last place in the AL East. “When you’re not banging, you’ve got to do the little things really well: catch the ball, run the bases. I know we are eventually gonna start banging. I have a ton of confidence in our guys. In the meantime, especially when we’re in dogfights and not breaking games open, we’ve got to play real clean.”
The Yankees didn’t make many mistakes in Wednesday’s loss, but Corey Kluber provided another short start, forcing the bullpen into the game after just four innings.
Before he left, Kluber gave up three runs and two homers as the Yankees fell behind again after Aaron Judge’s first-inning homer — his first of two solo shots on the day. Kluber was hurt by a 23-pitch first inning and a two-run homer by Alejandro Kirk in the second.
The Yankees came back in the fourth, beginning with Judge’s second homer off Toronto starter T.J. Zeuch.
Brett Gardner walked and moved to third on Gleyber Torres’ one-out double. Jay Bruce followed with a strikeout, but Gio Urshela delivered a twoout single to left to drive in both runners and put the Yankees ahead, 4-3.
Jonathan Loaisiga took over in the bottom of the fourth and allowed a two-out hit to right to Cavan Biggio, but the ball went under Judge’s glove and Biggio got to third. Judge raced after the ball and fired it all the way to Urshela at third. Biggio inexplicably strayed beyond the third-base bag and was caught in a rundown. Kyle Higashioka tagged him for the final out to keep the Yankees up by a run.
Loaisiga loaded the bases with no one out in the sixth. After getting the first out, Loaisiga threw a wild pitch with Marcus Semien at the plate to bring in Rowdy Tellez and tie the game.
Darren O’Day and Justin Wilson tossed scoreless innings before giving way to Green. Boone said he wanted to stay away from Aroldis Chapman unless the Yankees got to a save situation.
The move didn’t work out, as Bichette hit one out to rightcenter to end the game.
But the Yankees had just five hits, and their lineup continues not to click.
“Inconsistent,’’ Judge said of the offense. “That’s the word that I keep coming back to. Not having quality at-bats and putting the ball in play when we need to, when you put it all together, isn’t a good recipe. We’ve got to grind it out, hunker down and get the job done.”
Their next chance will come Friday at the Stadium against another divisional foe, the Rays, who just took a series from the Yankees at Tropicana Field.
“It’s the little things: baserunning mistakes, mistakes in the outfield, not coming up with the clutch hit or taking singles when we can,’’ Judge said.
The Yankees acknowledged tensions were high between them and the Rays after Tampa Bay expressed more displeasure about batters getting hit by Yankees pitchers, but Boone and Judge said the focus would be on the game.
And Boone believes his team is prepared to turn it around.
“With this group, anytime we’re not banging like I know we can, I’m a little surprised,’’ Boone said. “That’s why you play so many games in this game. … The cream is gonna rise to the top, and I know we will.”