The Yankees appeared to sacrifice their game to the Gods of Hockey, in helping the NY Rangers score a goal in overtime to take a 2-1 lead in games in their semifinal series against Florida. The Ranger game started at 3pm and all of NY seemed to be watching it — while the Yankees were playing the Padres in San Diego with a 4pm EST start time.
“I’ll take a Yankee loss for a Ranger playoff win any day!,” exclaimed John Morra watching out in Seattle. “Yes this win is better by far,” added Amanda V at District Bar in Staten Island which EXPLODED after the Rangers scored in OT.
For the Yankees — Clarke Schmidt wasn’t at his best but still outdueled Joe Musgrove and had a shutout going into the 6th inning, Yankees leading 1-0, when a Gleyber Torres error and a walk to Manny Machado sent Schmidt to the showers.
The Yankees brought in Victor Gonzalez who couldn’t hold ’em. He:
- Walked a batter;
- Allowed an RBI groundout that might have been a double play had he not failed to cover 1st;
- Allowed an RBI bunt single that Anthony Rizzo charged in on but dropped; and
- Allowed an RBI single for a 3-1 Seattle lead as the Gods of Hockey took note.
Dennis Santana came in and allowed another RBI single for a 4-1 lead. In the 7th, Caleb Ferguson allowed back-to-back doubles and NY was down 5-1 — a hole they couldn’t dig out.
Soon afterwards the Rangers scored a goal in their ultra-tense, sudden-death Overtime to win — sending most of NY into a frenzy.
“Tough inning for us, didn’t make a couple of plays,” said manager Aaron Boone about the 6th inning. “Didn’t do great in the strike throwing. Just one of those innings that happens. Doing so well in a lot of those areas; part of the game. We just didn’t make a couple of plays and they took advantage.”
NY falls to 37-18, and their 1st place lead over Baltimore drops to 2 games. San Diego improves to 28-28.
1. Schmidt Shutout Into 6th Despite Many Baserunners
Schmidt wasn’t at his best and “grinded” through — but still pitched a shutout into the 6th. He:
- Allowed a 2-out baserunner in the 1st on a hit by pitch,
- Allowed a 1-out walk and single in the 2nd but pitched out of it,
- Allowed a leadoff single (to Luis Arraez) and then a 2-out single in the 3rd but pitched out of it,
- Allowed a 2-out walk in the 4th, and
- Pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 5th.
Clarke Schmidt, Nasty 87mph Sweeper. 😨 pic.twitter.com/l7UYSXtiP4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 26, 2024
“Physically one of those outings where you don’t feel like your best, so very happy to be able to put up a lot of zeros,” said Schmidt afterwards. “I think the spin was really good; I thought the cutter was really good. Just made some big pitches and was able to stay within myself, and get outs when we needed them. The 5th was a quick inning; I was thankful for that. Obviously unfortunate at the end but overall, if this was one of my grinder outings, I’m very happy with how it ends up.”
2. Volpe-Soto Combo Get a Run off Musgrove
Meanwhile the Yankees were putting similar pressure on old nemesis Joe Musgrove — but not scoring:
- A 2-out single by Aaron Judge in the 1st,
- A 2-out single by Gleyber Torres in the 2nd,
- A leadoff single by Jose Trevino in the 3rd,
- A 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, and
- A 2-out double by Gleyber Torres in the 5th.
“His curveball was really good today,” said Anthony Rizzo about Musgrove. “He was throwing strikes.”
Finally in the 6th, Anthony Volpe lined a 1-out single to center to extend his hitting streak to 18 games, and Juan Soto doubled him home. Yankees 1 San Diego 0.
Juan-Punch Man. pic.twitter.com/OtznST0zEl
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 26, 2024
3. Gleyber & the Bullpen Fail Schmidt in 6th
“Ball right to Gleyber, kind of took a weird one; hit hard,” said Anthony Rizzo afterwards about Gleyber’s error that opened up the gates in the 6th.
The ball by 2nd baseman Jake Cronenworth was hit hard and took a bounce that caused it to go under Gleyber’s glove into right centerfield.
Maybe it was the Gods of Hockey.
Gleyber has made a lot of terrific plays at 2nd but a lot of errors and currently leads the Major Leagues in errors at 2nd base. When asked about it, Boone said: “Everyone’s different. You’re right he has made a lot of really good plays. And he’s in an extended period right now where he’s been excellent out there. And that’s a play obviously he should have made today. It’s not from a lack of work and focus. We’re trying to make sure he’s as consistent as can be. He’s been through a nice consistent stretch here for the last few weeks, and today just didn’t make a play.”
After Gonzalez came in and loaded the bases with a walk, centerfielder Jackson Merrill lined a grounder to Rizzo who went to Volpe at 2nd for 1 out, and Volpe looked to throw to 1st for a double play but Gonzalez was late covering 1st — a run scored to tie the game at 1-1.
With runners on 1st and 3rd and 1 out, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim bunted, Rizzo was charging in and fielded the ball but dropped it and Seattle took a 2-1 lead.
“The bunt was a do-or-die at the plate, and I just didn’t make the play,” added Rizzo.
Arraez then singled to center for a 3-1 Seattle lead. The Yanks went to the pen for Dennis Santana, and Fernando Tatis Jr.greeted him with an RBI single and it was 4-1 Seattle.
4. Caleb Throws Fuel on the Fire in 7th
Caleb Ferguson allowed back-to-back doubles to Cronenworth and 3rd baseman Manny Machado to lead off the 7th and it was 5-1 Seattle.
And then the Rangers scored to win their game in Sudden Death overtime and most of NY exploded with glee.
5. Verdugo HR in 9th All Yanks Could Muster
Alex Verdugo led off the 9th with a homer to left off Robert Suarez to make it 5-2.
Dugie dinger in the 9th ?
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/aRu5PF6iD2 pic.twitter.com/uVsrlrVIZz
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 26, 2024
Anthony Rizzo stroked a 1-out single, and there was a faint hope that the Yankees could have their cake and sacrifice their game for a Rangers win, and eat it too. But Gleyber Torres flied out and Jose Trevino grounded out for the old ballgame.
Sacrifice complete.
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