The Yankees were 1 out away from an important 3-1 victory at Fenway Park — and then Chad Green served up a 2-run double to tie the score, and the Yankees lost in COVID extras — scoring their inherited runner in the top of the 10th, but allowing Boston to score 2 in the bottom of the 10th as Brooks Kriske threw 4 (four) wild pitches. It was a tough, tough, tough, tough loss.
1. Monty Great Again
The Yanks wasted another great start from Jordan Montgomery, who pitched 5.2 shutout innings and was masterful: 3 hits, 6 K’s. He pitched the 5th inning after a 45-minute rain delay, and left with 2 out in the 6th with a 1-0 lead after allowing a single to Xander Bogaerts. He was at 83 pitches.
When asked about the slim run support and not getting the win, Jordan Montgomery replied: “We win a lot of my games and I’m always going to give us a chance, so just put my eyes on my next start and come and be ready to do it again.”
When asked how he stayed sharp during the rain delay, Monty said “I try to keep my adrenaline going, move around, I did an extra warmup and then threw off the mound. But my legs just kinda got really heavy in the 6th, so I told them to get the pen ready and I’d empty the tank.”
Monty was helped in the 2nd by a nice catch by new Yankee centerfielder Estevan Florial (his 3rd straight start out there it is starting to look like he is now here for good).
Graceful athlete, indeed. pic.twitter.com/HHlJogy6DX
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 22, 2021
2. Yanks Pull Romano Out of their Sleeve
Someone named Sal Romano came in to allow a single but then get the final out. The Yankees have reached the point of the season when they are pulling pitchers that nobody has ever heard of out of their sleeves like magic tricks.
3. Luetge & Wade Cough Up Monty’s Win
Romano got the 1st out of the 7th but was lifted for Lucas Luetge who immediately gave up 2 singles. Luetge got a grounder to 3rd that Tyler Wade booted for an error to load the bases with one out. Yankee Twitter erupted on Wade.
With one out (instead of 2), Enrique Hernandez, Boston’s 2nd baseman/centerfielder, hit a sac fly to tie the game. There went Monty’s win. Again. He is 3-5 on the season and should be something like 8-5.
4. Yanks Jump on Top 3-1
But the Yanks jumped right back on top in the top of the 8th — DJ LeMahieu led off with a walk, Brett Gardner walked, and Giancarlo Stanton singled to left for a 2-1 lead.
G'd up in Beantown. pic.twitter.com/clezRBbeRe
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 23, 2021
Rougned Odor — the best bunter on the Yankees since Phil Rizzuto — laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners to 2nd and 3rd, and Gleyber Torres hit a sac fly to make it 3-1.
Gleyber comes through 💪 pic.twitter.com/ajqUibZQuN
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 23, 2021
5. Cessa Sizzles; Green Blows It
Luis Cessa pitched the 8th — and went through the inning with EASE — a 1-2-3 inning on 5 pitches — inducing soft, easy groundouts — two of them back to the pitcher.
There were some voices on Yankee Twitter who implored manager Aaron Boone not to over think things and send Cessa back out for the 9th.
But Boone sent Chad Green out. Afterwards, he said Cessa had thrown 30 pitches a few days before.
Green struck out the first batter in the 9th, but then allowed consecutive singles. A line out to left made it 2 out, 2 on, and Enrique Hernandez up. Hernandez — a lifetime .240 hitter with power who played for 6 years with the Dodgers and in his first season in Boston — took a 96-MPH four-seam fastball to left center for a game-tying double.
Luis Cessa and Chad Green were both acquired from Detroit for Justin Wilson in 2015.
6. The End
The Yankees plated their inherited runner (Tyler Wade) in the top of the 10th — a groundout by DJ LeMahieu moved the runner to 3rd, and Brett Gardner hit a sac fly to give NY a 4-3 lead.
But in the bottom of the 10th, Brooks Kriske immediately threw two wild pitches to score inherited runner Rafael Devers and tie the game. Kriske then walked Xander Bogaerts, and threw 2 more wild pitches to allow Bogaerts to get to 3rd. You can’t make this up.
Kriske teased by striking out JD Martinez for the 1st out, but then allowed a sac fly to Hunter Renfroe for the old ballgame.
“It was just one of those nights I wasn’t executing. It’s not fun; there’s a lot of guys battling their butts off and it sucks to be the one to blow it for the team,” said Kriske afterwards.
A tough, tough, tough, tough loss. An out away from a wonderful, hard-fought 3-1 win.
“Another gut punch,” said Aaron Boone afterwards. “I still feel pretty sick to my stomach right now,” said Monty afterwards on the loss.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401228503
Be the first to comment