Albert Abreu relieved Nestor Cortes in the bottom of the 7th, the Yankees leading 3-2, and coughed up a 2-run homer to Carlos Santana for the 4-3 Seattle victory.
Cortes and Robbie Ray had been locked in a pitchers duel, but the Yankees had just gotten to Ray and put 3 runs on the board in the top of the 7th, off a Kyle Higashioka 2-run homer and Aaron Judge insurance homer, giving NY a 3-1 lead.
But Cortes allowed consecutive hits to lead off the 7th making it 3-2, and in came Abreu. The move to bring in Abreu enraged Yankee Twitter, which openly questioned why Clarke Schmidt and Ron Marinaccio are currently in the minor leagues.
“Looked like he kind of rolled in a slider there,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “Maybe command and strike throwing not as good the last few times. But we gotta keep getting him out there and get him where we need him to be because he’s an important pitcher.”
When asked if Abreu should be pitching in lower-leverage spots until he gets his command back, Boone answered, “Well you don’t always have that luxury.”
On a Wednesday afternoon game in Seattle — game time 4pm EST.
The loss put the Yanks at 71-41, 10 games over Toronto and 12 over Tampa and Baltimore. Seattle is 61-52, 10.5 behind Houston.
1. Cortes Great
Cortes was pitching a shutout into the 6th when Sam Haggerty hit a homer off the foul poll in left for a 1-0 Seattle lead.
Cortes ended with 6 innings, 3 hits, was charged with 3 runs, struck out 10 and walked 1.
“My fastball was playing up real well,” said Cortes afterwards. “Trying to across the plate. All game I was on my pitches. And just mixing. I thought Higgy called a great game behind the plate.”
2. Higgy and Judge Put Yanks On Top
Meanwhile Robbie Ray was shutting out the Yankees through 6, when in the top of the 7th, Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked with 1 out, and Kyle Higashioka hit a 403-foot homer to centerfield for a 2-1 Yankee lead.
Get Higgy with it. pic.twitter.com/UyPtI3NjiU
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 10, 2022
Ray was relieved by Penn Murfee, and Aaron Judge greeted him with a no-doubter, 412-foot BOMB to left and it was 3-1 NY. Insurance.
#AllRise for 99 👨⚖️ pic.twitter.com/h4nQA6ZKub
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 10, 2022
3. Abreu Coughs It Up
And so it was to the bottom of the 7th, Cortes cruising and NY up 3-1. But Cortes allowed a leadoff single to Ty France, who went to 2nd on a passed ball by Higashioka.
Mitch Haniger singled to left for a 3-2 game and Cortes was lifted at 93 pitches.
In came Abreu. He struck out Eugenio Suarez but then the 2 run bomb to Carlos Santana. 4-3 Seattle.
Yankee Twitter was ballistic that Abreu would be brought into a 3-2 game in the 7th. Where was the great Yankee pen of the first half of the season?
Clarke Schmidt had filled in so well in Michael King‘s role, but is in the minors to “lengthen out” to possibly join the starting rotation — if Domingo German fails or someone gets injured. With Sevrino due back in a month, and Schmidt already pitching 3-inning stints — the strategy was questioned.
Ron Marinaccio is also in the minors for some reason. Jordan Montgomery was traded which forced the questionable Clarke-Schmidt-to-minors move, and of course the Yankees traded JP Sears at the trade deadline too. The trade for Frankie Montas seems to have had a domino effect which has made the Yankee bullpen weaker.
4. Yanks Go Out
After that the Yanks went out 1-2-3 in the 8th against Diego Castillo and 1-2-3 in the 9th against closer Paul Sewald for the old ballgame.
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