The Yankees’ rotation entered the record books Tuesday night, but the bullpen and defense could not hold up their end of the bargain to make sure it resulted in a win.
After a fielding error by Anthony Rizzo extended the eighth inning — it was later changed to a hit — Clay Holmes entered to protect a one-run lead with two men on and his first pitch was ripped for a two-run double that sunk the Yankees in a 4-3 loss to the Angels at Angel Stadium.
DJ LeMahieu, in his season debut, and Juan Soto both put charges into balls in the top of the ninth, but both fell short of tying the game.
Taylor Ward hits the game-winning double in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to the Angels
Ex-Yankee Willie Calhoun had led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single before Luke Weaver retired the next two batters.
But Luis Rengifo came up next and hit a ground ball to Rizzo’s right.
The first baseman knocked it down but could never get a clean handle on it, allowing Rengifo to reach safely.
“That play needs to be made,” Rizzo said. “Just over-slid it and it bounced off my glove. That play needs to be made. Clay comes in, gives up a hit. Shouldn’t have been in the game [yet] if I make that play. So it’s a tough one.”
Holmes then entered the game and promptly gave up the lead when Taylor Ward drilled an inside sinker for a two-run double over Alex Verdugo’s head in left field.
“I was trying to get him on the ground and just got beat on that pitch,” Holmes said. “He put a good swing on that sinker and pulled it in the air, which doesn’t happen very often.”
Juan Soto belts a solo homer in the first inning of the Yankees’ loss
The Yankees (37-19) entered the night 33-1 when leading after seven innings, with Weaver and Holmes being their two most reliable bullpen arms through the first two months of the season.
But their defense let them down for a second straight game.
Sunday against the Padres, a Gleyber Torres error opened the door for a four-run inning that turned the game, with Rizzo also bobbling a bunt during the decisive rally.
Nestor Cortes allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings in the Yankees’ loss
Rizzo, a four-time Gold Glove first baseman, had a rough start to the season defensively but had been better before the past two games, Tuesday’s miscue allowing the Angels (21-33) to sneak away with the win.
The late drama wasted a strong outing from Nestor Cortes, who gave up a pair of runs across 5 ¹/₃ innings.
In the process, the Yankees’ rotation’s strong run of late turned historic.
Austin Wells rips an RBI double in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ loss
Cortes became the 15th straight starter to pitch at least five innings and allow two runs or fewer, breaking the MLB record since 1893 (when the mound moved back to its current distance of 60 feet, 6 inches).
During that stretch, Yankees starters have combined to post an ERA of 0.99 — all without reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole — while going 11-4.
“I think we’ve done a good job internally to make this a little competition amongst ourselves,” Cortes said. “I feel like everybody that goes out there the night before, you want to trump that. You want to pitch better than him or have a better line. I guess that’s the motivating part about us. We all want to go into the sixth or seventh inning.”
Juan Soto went deep and short to provide the Yankees their first two runs of the night.
He demolished a 424-foot home run in the first inning and later added a bloop, RBI single to left field, tying the game 2-2 in the fourth inning.
Austin Wells then put the Yankees ahead in the fifth.
The catcher roped a double to right field, scoring Rizzo from second base for the 3-2 lead, though Torres was thrown out at home trying to score from first on the play.
The Yankees had plenty of loud contact off Angels right-hander Griffin Canning — 10 of the 19 balls they put in play against him came off the bat harder than 95 mph — but they had just three runs to show for it.
“I thought we swung the bats really well tonight for only three runs,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Just weren’t able to really break it open.”
