Isiah Kiner-Falefa picked a crippling time to make his 16th error of the season on Friday night.
The Yankees were one out away from sending a 5-5 game into the ninth when Willy Adames hit a hard grounder to the Yankee shortstop’s barehand side, and when he tried to snag the grounder, it hit off the heel of his glove, allowing Adames to reach and the go-ahead run to score in an eventual 7-6 loss.
“I just missed it,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I went for the backhand. Knew Adames was a good runner. I was ready to get rid of it, and just missed it.
“It was my fault. I take the blame for this loss tonight.”
Josh Donaldson tied the game in the top of the ninth with a solo home run, but the Yanks and Clay Holmes gave the run right back in the bottom of the inning, ending the team’s four-game winning streak and raising more frustration about Kiner-Falefa’s defense at shortstop, though the Yanks continue to express confidence.
“No plays are easy here, but it’s one that costs us the game tonight,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I make that play, JD’s homer probably puts us up and we’re not in that situation in the end. I gotta make that play to win the game. These are close games and it matters. Everything counts. That’s one I wish I had back. I cost us the game tonight. I need to come through next time.”
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