Yanks Bumble Lead in 10th to Lose 4th Straight. Tampa 5 NY 4 in 10

April 12, 2026 paperbacklou 2026 0
Austin Wells hits his first HR of the season in the 2nd, putting NY up 1-0.

Jose Caballero broke out of his early-season slump with two Clutch hits — a 2-RBI double with 2 outs in the 8th to put NY up 3-2, and an RBI single with 2 outs in the top of the 10th to put NY up 4-3 — but the Yanks and Jazz Chisholm Jr. bumbled the lead and the game in the bottom of the 10th, losing 4-3 to the Rays on an early Saturday evening in Tampa.

NY took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the 10th but a bunt single and stolen base by the super speedy Chandler Simpson put the inherited runner on 2nd and Simpson on 3rd with nobody out. A bunt single by Taylor Wells scored a run to tie the game. David Bednar almost worked out of the jam — intentionally walking a batter to load the bases then striking out a batter, and getting a chopper between 1st and 2nd that could have been a double play.

But Jazz Chisholm Jr. — playing in and therefore in the baseline between 1st and 2nd — bumbled the grounder — instead picking it up and in desperation firing to 1st to try and start a 4-3-6 double play as Simpson scored the winning run from 3rd. To Chisholm’s defense his view of the ball was obstructed by Cody Bellinger leaping for the ball in front of him (Bellinger had been moved from leftfield to the infield for the final play).

Had Chisholm fielded the ball, he could have tagged the runner going past him — and then threw to 1st for a DP. Afterwards he condemned himself in the postgame by saying he thought starting the double play by throwing to 1st would have ended the game, which it wouldn’t have.

The loss ruined a fine pitching performance by Max Fried, who threw 8 solid innings of 6-hit, 3-run ball.

Nick Martinez and 6 Tampa relievers were able to limit the Yanks.

“I was really going to try to tag the runner and start it,” said Chisholm afterwards. “I don’t know what the rule is if I went to 1st base first and then threw to 2nd is it still an out? Chisholm asked as he adjusted his earing (see video below). He was told the run would still score.

Once Chisholm booted the ball the game was over — even if he had picked it up and tagged the runner, there wouldn’t have been time to turn the DP. And NY lost the game not entirely due to Chisholm — in fact he hit a double in the 8th and scored a go-ahead run. So it was a moot point but Chisholm admitting he didn’t know the rules while adjusting his earing was a bad look, and the video of it went viral on X.

NY drops its 4th in a row and falls to 8-6, still a game in 1st in the AL East. Tampa improves  o 7-7.

1. Wells HR Puts NY Up 1-0 in 2nd

Two nights earlier, manager Aaron Boone said that Austin Wells was starting to look a little better in his at bats even though he wasn’t getting results yet. Boone called it, as Wells ripped a solo homer off Nick Martinez in the top of the 2nd to put NY up 1-0.

2. Fried Great — But Trails 2-1 in 7th

Max Fried got touched up for a run in the bottom of the 2nd on a leadoff double by Caminero and 1-out single by Jonny DeLuca but otherwise was pitching great — throwing a 1-2-3 inning in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

Fried was helped by Cody Bellinger who made several terrific catches in left — one at the wall to rob Yandy Diaz of an extra-base hit with a runner on 1st in the 6th.

But Fried allowed a single to next batter Ryan Vilade, and a sac fly to Jonathan Aranda for a 2-1 Tampa lead.

3. Martinez and Tampa Pen Hold Yanks Down

Meanwhile, 35-year-old righty Nick Martinez rope-a-doped the Yankee lineup into the 5th inning:

  • Working around a walk (to Trent Grisham) and a single (to Bellinger) in the 1st;
  • Allowing the HR to Wells and a single to McMahon in the 2nd;
  • Working around a 1-out double by Ben Rice in the 3rd;
  • Pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th; but
  • Allowing a walk (to Trent Grisham), single (by Bellinger) and walk (to Rice) in the 5th to load the bases with 2 outs.

Kevin Kelly relieved Martinez with the bases loaded and 2 outs, and struck out Giancarlo Stanton swinging on 4 pitches.

Ian Seymour and Griffin Jax combined to shut the Yanks out in the 6th and 7th, as Tampa held on to the 2-1 lead.

4. Caballero Clutch 2-RBI Double Puts NY Ahead 3-2 in 8th

But NY got to Bryan Baker in the 8th — Ben Rice lining out to left but Giancarlo Stanton working a walk — with Randall Grichuk running for him, then Jazz Chisholm Jr. ripping a double down 1st to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Austin Wells failed to deliver — hitting a short fly to left — but with 2 outs, Jose Caballero finally came out of his massive early-season slump by ripping a CLutch, 2-RBI double to left for a 3-2 NY lead.

5. Fried Allows Tying Run in 8th But Hangs In

Max Fried couldn’t hold the lead — allowing a leadoff double to Fortes in the bottom of the 8th. Chandler Simpson ran for Fortes, and went to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt, then scored on an infield single by Yandy Diaz.

Boone came to the mound to take Fried out, but Fried talked Boone into leaving him in — and retired the next 2 batters, striking out Aranda on 3 pitches to end the 8th.

6. Yanks Threaten in 9th But Can’t Score

Aaron Judge walked against Hunter Bigge with 1 out in the top of the 9th of the 3-3 game, and stole 2nd base.

Cody Bellinger flied out to deep center, moving Judge to 3rd — and with 2 outs, Rice was intentionally walked, bringing up Randy Grichuck against the righty Bigge. Grichuk flied out.

One could only wish that The Martian, Jasson Dominguez — a switch hitter who bats best from the left side — was still on the team instead of pining in the minors (after a good rookie season and .333 average in Spring Training). But alas the Yanks put the veteran righty-hitting Grichuk on the roster to start the year.

7. Caballero Clutch RBI Single Puts NY Up 4-3 in 10th

Fernando Cruz and Tim Hill combined for a shutout bottom of 9th so the game went to the 10th.

Grichuk — who made the last out of the 9th — started the inning as the inherited runner on 2nd. Cole Sulser came in to pitch for Tampa, and got Chisholm to pop out and Wells to pop out — neither advancing the inherited runner,

But with 2 outs, Jose Caballero came through again with a Clutch single up the middle for a 4-3 Yankee lead.

8. Tampa Small-Ball & Speed Game Wins It in 10th

And then to the bottom of the 10th with David Bednar in for the save — although Tampa had the inherited runner on 2nd.

The Super Quick Chandler Simpson started the inning with a bunt single — Amed Rosario was at 3rd in place of Ryan McMahon (who he pinch-hit for against the lefty Seymour in the 7th) — and Rosario momentarily bobbled the bunt, which is all Simpson needed.

With 1st and 3rd, nobody out, Taylor Walls bunted — and got a single as Chisholm failed to cover 1st.

With 1st and 3rd nobody out, Bednar intentionally walked Yandy Diaz to load the bases and create a force at each base, then struck out Hunter Feduccia. There was hope.

But Jonathan Aranda hit the chopper to 2nd that Chisholm botched — dropping the ball then rifling a throw to 1st even though there was only 1 out and the runner was scoring from 3rd. Had Chisholm fielded the ball and tagged the runner going past him, then threw to 1st it would have ended the inning. To Chisholm’s defense — the ball was partially obstructed by a leaping Cody Bellinger — who had been moved from left field to be an extra infielder on the final play.

Chisholm condemned himself afterwards by saying he thought starting the double play by throwing to 1st would have ended the game, which it wouldn’t have.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401814897

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