Shaky Sabathia sets table for ugly defeat
BOSTON — CC Sabathia should have been the ideal pitcher to start for the Yankees on Thursday.
He had given up more than two runs versus the Red Sox just once since 2016 and had been lights-out after Yankees losses.
Since the start of the 2017 season, Sabathia was 12-0 with a 2.72 ERA in 20 regular-season starts following a Yankees loss.
That streak ended with a thud Thursday, as the lefty had nothing on a hot night at Fenway Park in a 15-7 thrashing at the hands of the Yankees’ rivals.
Sabathia gave up just two runs, but he lasted just three innings — in part because he threw 77 pitches.
The Yankees’ rotation already is in a bit of disarray thanks to the demotion of Sonny Gray to the bullpen and the loss of J.A. Happ for at least a start when the lefty was placed on the disabled list with hand, foot and mouth disease, so Sabathia’s rough night only added to their woes.
“I was just all over the place,’’ said Sabathia, who matched a season-high with four walks. “I was off with my command with everything: my fastball, slider, changeup. I battled to try to make pitches to keep us in the game.”
After he pitched around a leadoff walk to Mookie Betts in the first inning, he needed 36 pitches to get out of the second. He allowed just one run in the frame, but it helped set the tone for the rest of the night, as he was unable to protect an early 4-0 lead.
In the third, Sabathia allowed a homer to Steve Pearce — the former Yankee’s first of three on the night — to open the inning. He then walked J.D. Martinez and, after a fly out to right by Ian Kinsler, Eduardo Nunez reached on a fielder’s choice when Martinez was caught off second.
Sabathia then took a line drive from Blake Swihart off his side and airmailed a throw over Greg Bird at first for a two-base error. The errant throw was partly because the ball was wet after it had rained.
Sabathia got Brock Holt to fly to right to end the inning, but it also ended his night.
“The third [inning] became a tough one for him and we had to get him out,’’ Aaron Boone said.
It was Sabathia’s shortest outing of the season and his early exit came at a bad time for the Yankees, who had to turn to Saturday’s probable starter, Luis Cessa, out of the bullpen instead.
Sabathia admitted it was a disappointing performance.
“You want to come out and pitch well the first game against the team leading the division,’’ Sabathia said. “It’s frustrating.”
And it was also Sabathia’s fourth consecutive shaky start.
In those starts, the 38-year-old has gone just 18 ¹/3 innings, given up 13 earned runs, walked 11 and struck out 16.