Offense struggles in loss to Brewers

BREWERS 9 YANKEES 2

On an Old-Timers' Day honoring the 1998 Yankees, the current Bronx Bombers failed to channel that record-setting team's winning ways.

The Yankees managed just four hits – all singles – in Saturday's 9-2 loss to the NL Central-leading Brewers, who took the lead for good on an eighth-inning home run by No. 9 hitter Tyrone Taylor.

Taylor's tie-breaking solo shot was the first of five hits allowed by Yankees reliever Jonathan Loaisiga, who surrendered three runs in the eighth to take the loss. Relievers Matt Krook and Ron Marinaccio were similarly ineffective in Milwaukee's fourrun ninth inning.

The Yankees' offensive and bullpen woes squandered another strong start by converted reliever Michael King, who tied a career high with nine strikeouts over five innings.

King, 28, allowed two runs, one of which was earned. Willy Adames lined an RBI triple against him in the fourth inning, then scored on the same play on a DJ LeMahieu throwing error.

The right-handed King started 59 games in the minor leagues and 10 with the Yankees across 2020 and 2021, but he operated exclusively out of the bullpen last year and did the same through the first four months of this season.

Injuries to the Yankees' rotation, coupled with the absence of Domingo German for alcohol abuse treatment, opened a starting spot for King, who has built up his pitch count with each outing. His 79 pitches Saturday were his most of the year.

It was the fifth start of the season for King, who boasts a 1.93 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 18.2 innings in those games.

Saturday started with an OId-Timers' Day ceremony that doubled as a 25th-anniversary celebration of the '98 Yankees, who won a then-record 114 regular season games and the first of three consecutive World Series titles. Derek Jeter attended the annual Old-Timers' Day festivities for the first time Saturday and was joined by former teammates including Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada.

The sun shined during the ceremony, but a torrential downpour followed, delaying the first pitch by two hours and 34 minutes. That contributed to a long day in the Bronx, where Anthony Volpe's fourth-inning RBI single was one of few highlights for the home team.

The loss was the third in a row for the Yankees, who fell to 70-72 and nine games out of the final AL Wild card spot with 20 to play. They have not finished a season with a losing record since 1992.