The Yankees appeared headed to a third straight win on Wednesday night after two sparkling defensive plays by Paul Goldschmidt and Ryan McMahon put New York one out away from an extra-innings victory in Chicago.
Instead, an unthinkable hiccup from catcher Ali Sanchez set the Yanks up for perhaps their worst loss of the season, and furthered their chronic struggles in extra innings.
Just days after launching his first career home run, Sanchez attempted a snap throw down to third base with two outs in the 11th, with Camilo Doval nearing an escape from a rally that saw the White Sox holding a runner on third and nobody out. Instead, Sanchez's throw was well short of the bag at third, the ball skipped past a helpless McMahon, and Munetaka Murakami scored easily to tie the game at five. Chicago walked it off one inning later.
The loss dropped the Yankees to 1-7 in extra innings this season, the worst record in the league according to Stathead's Katie Sharp. New York had two chances to score earlier in extras with a runner on third and one out, and neither rally resulted in a run.
Sanchez told reporters after the game that he wouldn't take back the decision to try and throw Murakami out, even with the third out at the plate, but that he simply needed to make a better throw. Aaron Boone agreed.
"Just gotta have a good throw," Boone said. "It's playing catch. We're big leaguers, and we're not gonna not do things. Obviously an option is to hold it, but it just comes down to we gotta play catch better there."
An inexplicable gaffe led to a crippling loss in Chicago.
An inexplicable gaffe led to a crippling loss in Chicago.
