SEVERINO GETS SHELLACKED
JAYS ROLL 7-1 AT STADIUM
When Luis Severino dominated the Red Sox last week in Fenway Park, the Yankees didn’t think he was about to run away with the AL Cy Young award.
So when the Blue Jays, who played without Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki on Monday night, punished Severino on the way to a 7-1 victory in front of an announced Yankee Stadium gathering of 25,566, the Yankees didn’t immediately fear the 23-year-old was headed for a repeat of last season’s nightmare as a starter.
“I thought he was just a little off and behind in some counts,’’ Joe Girardi said of Severino, who was tagged for five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. “It looked like he was just missing away. I didn’t think it was like he didn’t have it, it was just that he was a little off.’’
Severino was hurt by Ryan Goins and Chris Coghlan, Toronto’s No. 7 and 9 hitters, respectively. Combined they had one homer entering the game and both took Severino out of the ballpark Monday. Goins hit a two-run homer to right in the second and Coghlan homered to right in the three-run sixth.
As Severino delivered a 3-2 pitch to Luke Maile in the sixth, he stumbled with his right leg enough to bring Girardi and the entire infield to the mound. He remained in the game, but the next pitch was hit over the wall by Coghlan.
“We were concerned, but he said he was fine,’’ Girardi said. “When a pitcher stumbles you are always concerned.’’
“My fastball command wasn’t there,’’ said Severino, who is 2-2 this year and 0-3 in six games lifetime against the Blue Jays.
Also missing was the Yankees’ bats against right-hander Marco Estrada, who allowed one run on seven hits, didn’t issue a walk and fanned five in seven innings.
“He works in and out and his changeup is 14 to 15 miles slower than the fastball,’’ Brett Gardner said of Estrada, who is 3-0 in six games (five starts) at Yankee Stadium. “We have a deep lineup and have been scoring some runs but he was better than us tonight. Tip your cap and get ready to go [Tuesday night].’’
The Yankees’ offense consisted of Aaron Judge’s RBI single in the fourth that cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 2-1. But three runs in the sixth when Severino was chased by Coghlan’s homer and two more in the seventh when Jose Bautista launched his 34th career homer against the Yankees off reliever Luis Cessa put the game out of reach.
Bautista’s 34 homers are tops of any active players and his 18 homers at the Stadium lead all visiting players.
It was the Yankees’ second straight loss and lowered their record to 15-9. The Yankees hadn’t dropped two in a row since April 5-8 when they lost three consecutive games.
Combined with the Orioles beating the Red Sox, the loss dropped the Yankees one length back of the AL East-leading Birds.
Greg Bird’s miserable season didn’t end when April turned into May since the first baseman went 0-for-5 and was hitless in three atbats with runners in scoring position. Overall the left-handed hitter is batting a woeful .100.
From April 28-30 the Yankees batted .475 (9-for-19) and hit five homers and drove in 22 runs with runners in scoring position. However, they went 3-for-13 Sunday and 1-for-9 Monday night in the clutch.
And that 1-for-9 was far from enough to overcome Severino being a little off and three Blue Jays homers.