What a colossal wasted opportunity this game was.
You can’t give away a game as many times as the Yankees seemed to do:
- The Yanks could have won the game in the 8th, but Trent Grisham hesitated on the bases on a double off the wall by Austin Wells — and Grisham was thrown out at home plate.
- The Yanks could have won the game in the 10th, with a runner on 3rd and 1 out — but didn’t.
- The Yanks could have won the game in the 11th, with a runner on 3rd and 1 out — but didn’t.
Then to add insult to injury, NY finally plated 2 runs in bottom of the 12th — but only after allowing Cleveland to score 6 in the top of the 12th, as Tim Mayza got hit, and Michael Tonkin got lit up.
Final score Cleveland 9 NY 5 on a beautiful but somewhat chilly Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium; sweater weather as summer’s almost gone and fall weather is peaking in.
The loss wasted a phenomenal relief appearance by NFL star Kirk Cousins’ cousin Jake Cousins — who Houdini’d out of a JAM in the 10th and pitched around the inherited runner in the 11th as well — and a tremendous job by the Yank pen in general: Tim Hill, Mark Leiter Jr. Luke Weaver, Tommy Kahnle, and Clay Holmes all turning in shutout innings.
The Yanks ended up 1-16 with runners in scoring position.
“Their pen — they throw out a lot of really good arms,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards.
NY falls to 73-53, .5 behind Baltimore. Cleveland improves to 73-52.
1. Soto & Judge Go Back to Back & Belly to Belly
The Yanks were up against 33-year-old, 6’3 lefty Matt Boyd, and pounced right away in the bottom of the 1st — with a Juan Soto solo homer to right.
Soto Solo Shot ? pic.twitter.com/f0YRZkLuSZ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 20, 2024
Aaron Judge then went back to back and belly to belly with a 372-foot homer to center. Yanks 2 Cleveland 0.
Back-to-Back, Belly-to-Belly! #AllRise pic.twitter.com/ZvSSF6Z6c1
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 20, 2024
2. Gil Leaves After 4 With Lower-Back Tightness
Luis Gil, staked to the early 2-0 lead, wasn’t great. He immediately gave a run back in the top of the 2nd — a leadoff double to Jhonkensy Noel, a walk to 2nd baseman Andres Gimenez, a fielder’s choice groundout to put 1st and 3rd, and a groundout by catcher Bo Naylor to score the run. NY 2 Cleveland 1.
Gil got the first 2 outs of the 3rd, but then consecutive walks and an RBI single by infielder Daniel Schneeman tied the game at 2-2.
Brayan Rocchio led off the 4th with a solo homer to center and it was 3-2 Cleveland.
Gil then walked Steven Kwan but got the next 3 batters to end the 4th.
Gil was relieved after the 4 innings, at 78 pitches — after complaining of lower back tightness. His line: 3 IP, 3 hits, 3 runs, 3 K’s, 6 walks.
3. Volpe RBI Double Ties It 3-3 in 4th
After falling behind 3-2, the Yanks immediately tied it in the bottom of the 4th as Jose Trevino led off with a walk against Boyd, and Anthony Volpe doubled to center — Trevino sprinting around the bases to score.
AV ties it up ? pic.twitter.com/rzds6kYdtY
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 21, 2024
4. Yank Core Bullpen Brilliant
The Yankee bullpen then laid down shutout ball for 7 innings:
- Tim Hill pitched a shutout 5th and 6th.
- Mark Leiter Jr.pitched a shutout 7th, allowing just a walk, and striking out 2.
- Luke Weaver pitched a shutout 8th, allowing just a single.
- Clay Holmes pitched a shutout 9th, allowing just a walk and striking out 3.
And then in came Jake Cousins to pitch the 10th.
With the inherited runner on 3rd, Rocchio reached on a bunt single to 3rd — putting runners on the corners with nobody out.
Steven Kwan — who is 4th in the American League in batting at .313 — had an epic 11-pitch at bat where he fouled off 4 consecutive 2-2 pitches — a slider, 2 sinkers, and a fastball — before working the count 3-2 — until Cousins struck him out swinging on a slider.
With 1 out, Cousins intentionally walked Rafael Ramirez to load the bases — and then got Josh Naylor to ground into a double play — Volpe taking the ball unassisted and firing to 1st !!! HUGE.
Turnin’ 2 ? pic.twitter.com/Wfii10fjd4
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 21, 2024
Cousins also escaped a jam in the 11th — getting the first 2 outs to strand the inherited runner on 2nd — a grounder back to Cousins, and then a strike out. But a walk, wild pitch, and stolen base put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs — until Cousins got Schneedman to ground out.
5. Wasted Opportunities for NY
Meanwhile the Yanks wasted opportunity after opportunity to win it.
- The Yanks had runners on 1st and 2nd, with 1 out in the 6th when DJ LeMahieu grounded into a double play to end the inning.
- Giancarlo Stanton walked to lead off the bottom of the 8th, and Trent Grisham ran for him. Alex Verdugo struck out but Austin Wells ripped a ball to right that bounced off the top of the wall — just out of reach of the Cleveland right fielder. Grisham hesitated and then was thrown out at the plate.
- In the bottom of the 10th, Juan Soto grounded out to move the inherited runner to 3rd with 1 out. Cleveland intentionally walked Aaron Judge, but Emmanuel Clase got Grisham to foul out and got Verdugo on a grounder.
- In the bottom of the 11th, Austin Wells hit a lineout to right to move the inherited runner to 3rd with 1 out. Cleveland intentionally walked Anthony Volpe to get to LeMahieu, whom reliever Tim Herrin struck out. Oswaldo Cabrera flied out to end the inning.
6. Mayza Loses; Tonkin Gets Lit Up
In the top of the 12th, Tim Mayza came in for NY — his 2nd appearance after being picked up off waivers. He allowed an RBI double to Thomas to begin the inning — Cleveland 4 NY 3.
Mazya allowed a bunt single then got an out — and was relieved by Michael Tonkin with runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out.
Michael Tonkin came in and was LIT UP.
RBI single (by Ramirez), walk, 3-RBI triple (by David Fry), RBI single (by Noel) and it was Cleveland 9 NY 3.
7. Consolation Runs
Gleyber Torres walked to lead off the bottom of the 12th, and Aaron Judge doubled both him and the inherited runner in for a 9-5 game with 1 out. But Grisham and Verdugo grounded out for the old ballgame.
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