The Yankees once again found themselves looking at several missed opportunities when evaluating their latest loss, falling in extra innings to the lowly Orioles to settle for a four-game split in Baltimore.
The Yanks, having shown flashes of breaking out of their brutal offensive slump to start the season over the past week, regressed in the form of 12 men left on base and a 3-for-14 clip with runners in scoring position.
“Any time you’re in a game and you don’t come through, it’s always frustrating,” Boone said. “But that’s also part of it. You’re not always going to get the big hit in a big situation.”
Giancarlo Stanton picked up another three hits as his bat has heated up significantly over the last week, while Gleyber Torres ripped a game-tying double in the ninth to show life during his prolonged slump to start the season. But overall, the offense couldn’t cash in on multiple chances, and the typically stout bullpen surrendered the game-winning run in the 10th without allowing a hit, with a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly winning it for the Orioles.
“We have to build on some of the positives that are starting to happen offensively…we’re not all the way where I know we’re going to get to offensively, but we’re getting closer to that,” Boone said. “The good news is I feel like the pitching, from the starting rotation, is starting to throw the ball real consistently, and obviously the bullpen makes me really optimistic moving forward.”
The Yankees have now lost three of four extra-inning games this season, and failed to push across the runner starting on second in the 10th after a failed bunt attempt by Tyler Wade to lead off the inning. Many have been outwardly opposed to the new extra inning rule, but Boone remained lukewarm about the change.
“I don’t think it’s been the greatest for us so far, but I understand it and I don’t have a huge issue with it,” Boone said. “We know the situation, we know that’s coming up, so those are the rules we have to play with and that’s where we have to execute and get it done.”
Aaron Judge, left out of the starting lineup for the second straight game, struck out as a pinch hitter with one on in the eighth, and although he fanned on three straight fastballs, Boone thought he came out of the at-bat looking healthy, and the expectation is to have him back in the lineup on Friday, and for the entire series against the Tigers.
“I expect him to play regularly and probably play all three games into the off day,” Boone said. “We’ll obviously go day-by-day, but at this point I feel that way.”
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