Extra-inning victory marred by early exit for closer Chapman
MIAMI — The postgame music was at its usual paintpealing level. The Presidente beer was teeth-rattling cold. The Red Sox lost. The Yankees won.
And yet if you looked into the eyes of the Yankees following a 2-1 victory over Derek Jeter’s feeble Marlins in 12 innings on Tuesday night at Marlins Park, the concern wasn’t hidden.
Yes, the Yankees’ fourth straight win coupled with the Indians beating the Red Sox cut the AL East deficit to eight games, and the last time the Yankees were eight out was Aug. 9.
Yet, the day started with Didi Gregorius being placed on the 10-day DL with a bruised left heel. And just before the end of the marathon game, All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman signaled to the dugout that something was wrong with the left knee that has been an issue for several months. Not long after trainer Steve Donohue arrived at the mound, he was walking Chapman off the field.
Tommy Kahnle surfaced from the bullpen to seal the victory that also included David Robertson not being available because of a tender right shoulder and Giancarlo Stanton’s homecoming.
Yet, the focus was on Chapman, who had been doing a decent job of managing the knee.
“Yeah, it’s worse,’’ Chapman said when asked about being concerned. “But we have to wait until [Wednesday] to see what happens.’’
According to Aaron Boone, Chapman will undergo an MRI exam and be examined by a doctor, but the manager didn’t hide his concern.
“The knee didn’t feel right,’’ Boone said. “It’s a huge concern, he is a huge part of our club.’’
Chapman walked Isaac Galloway to start the 12th with the Yankees leading, 2-1, thanks to Miguel Andujar’s basesloaded sacrifice fly that scored Kyle Higashioka from third. Chapman’s first pitch to Rafael Ortega was a ball and the lefthander signaled to the dugout with his glove that something wasn’t right.
Kahnle, who was spanked for three runs, two hits and a walk in his last outing, surfaced from the pen because Robertson wasn’t available. He retired the first two batters and watched Higashioka end the game by throwing out Galloway out foolishly attempting to steal second.
As for Gregorius, he was replaced at short by Gleyber Torres with Neil Walker starting at second. It was Walker’s one-out RBI single in the fourth that staked Masahiro Tanaka to a 1-0 lead. That vanished when Tanaka gave up a homer to Austin Dean in the fifth. It was the only run Tanaka allowed in six innings.
While Andujar’s sacrifice fly was the difference, the Houdini acts by Chad Green and A.J. Cole kept the game alive. Green worked out of a basesloaded, one-out jam in the ninth and Cole topped him by putting the first three batters on base in the 11th and not allowing a run.
“Now I know how people feel watching me pitch,’’ said Robertson, who is known for working in and out of trouble.
Based on the concern shown by Boone and Chapman, it would be an upset if the closer doesn’t join Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Gregorius on the shelf.
With Dellin Betances, Zach Britton, Robertson and Green, the Yankees have coverage in the pen. Nevertheless, it gets to a point where you wonder how many injuries to main cogs a team can survive.
Wednesday, the Yankees will know whether another marquee player is going to be missing for a while. The looks on their faces late Tuesday night indicated Chapman will be the latest star to be shelved.