ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Sloppy defense put the New York Yankees on the brink of elimination.
Four errors and another defensive miscue led to three unearned runs that a lineup missing three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge couldn’t overcome during a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of their AL Division Series on Monday night.
The Yankees are one defeat from falling short of a 28th World Series title for the 17th straight season.
“Obviously, a really rough night to say the least for us,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ve got to get over it. We’ve responded all year to difficult times, and we’ve got to do that again. We’ve got to get ourselves up off the mat.”
Even with likely AL Cy Young Award winner Cam Schlittler on the mound, the Yankees couldn’t even the best-of-five series against the pesky Rays.
The small-ball Rays chased Schlittler in the fifth, aided by New York’s miscues in the field as the Yankees’ defense unraveled the same way it did in the team’s most recent World Series game two years ago against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“I’m not disappointed in the defense. I’m not disappointed in the offense,” Schlittler said. “I’m disappointed in myself.”
Jonathan Aranda lined a single off Schlittler to start the bottom of the fifth and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center. With the infield drawn-in except second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a slow bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead. Chisholm’s only play was at first because he wasn’t all the way in like the rest of the infielders.
Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. flubbed, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1. It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder’s choice. Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr. After Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard’s throw to first was wide for New York’s fourth error.
Richie Palacios followed with a two-run single to center that increased Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-1.
“It was just one of those things that it all happened back-to-back-to-back,” Lombard said.
Ben Rice connected for his second homer of the game in the eighth, but that wasn’t enough. New York’s Nos. 3 through 7 batters are 0 for 33 in the two games.
“You’ve got to be confident even when you go down 2-0,” Rice said. “You’ve got to take it game by game, at-bat by at-bat.”
The night started poorly for the Yankees. New York became the first team to commit three errors in the first inning of a postseason game since the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1975 American League Championship Series against Boston, according to Sportsnet Stats.
Third baseman Ryan McMahon misplayed a bouncer by Yandy Díaz to begin the bottom of the first. After Aranda singled, Caminero hit a bouncer up the middle. Lombard fielded the ball behind the bag and flipped to second for a forceout, but Chisholm’s ill-advised, off-balance throw to first sailed wide, allowing Díaz to score and Caminero to reach second.
Hicks struck out but reached on catcher’s interference, with an error charged to Austin Wells. The 21-year-old Lombard then saved Chisholm from another error when he extended to catch a high toss to second following a sharp grounder by Simpson. Lombard came off the bag and quickly reached back with his leg to beat Hicks and get the second out.
Schlittler retired Mesa on a grounder to prevent more damage.
“Some good defenders that didn’t make a couple plays,” Boone said. “We’ve got to get over it, though. As simple as that. I mean, we can’t dwell on what just happened to us. We’ve got to come ready, again playing for our lives on Wednesday night, and I expect this team to do that.
“We’ve stared a lot of uncertainty in the face all year and these guys have responded time and time again and we need to do that again right now.”
The Yankees infamously fell apart on defense in the fifth inning of Game 5 in the 2024 World Series. Leading 5-0 with Gerrit Cole on the mound, New York committed two errors and a mental lapse while allowing five unearned runs to score, and the Dodgers went on to win the game and clinch the championship.
“It didn’t seem like we really showed up today,” Schlittler said before walking that statement back and reiterating his frustration over the way he pitched.
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By ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writer
