After the New York Yankees managed just one hit in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, manager Aaron Boone sent out the same lineup for Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays.
It took only one trip to the plate for that decision to begin looking like a mistake.
New York’s infield unraveled in spectacular fashion, committing four errors and repeatedly handing the Rays opportunities as the Yankees’ season moved closer to the edge.
Tampa Bay capitalized with a 5-2 victory, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. The Rays can now clinch with a win in the Bronx on Wednesday evening.
Ben Rice supplied virtually all of New York’s offense, launching two solo home runs during the game.
The other six Yankees who came to the plate went hitless, leaving Boone with difficult decisions to make before the pivotal third game.
Aaron Boone and the Yankees are on the brink of elimination after a 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay
New York second baseman Jazz Chisholm was one of four Yankees to commit an error
Richie Palacios knocked through a two-run single to put the game out of reach for New York
A lineup change was warranted regardless. After the Yankees’ offense was nearly invisible in Game 1, with several costly mental mistakes on the basepaths, their defensive lapses proved decisive this time around.
The trouble began in the Rays’ first at-bat. Third baseman Ryan McMahon mishandled a ground ball from Yander Diaz, allowing it to bounce off his glove and sail over his head for an error.
Jazz Chisholm then squandered a routine double-play opportunity. His hurried, off-target throw to first landed roughly two feet to the right of Luis Garcia, allowing Diaz to race home and score the game’s opening run.
The Yankees’ third error of the inning came from catcher Austin Wells, who was charged with catcher’s interference after his glove entered Liam Hicks’ swing path. Fortunately for New York, Tampa Bay could not add to its lead in the inning.
Rice briefly restored hope in the top of the fourth, tying the game at 1-1 with a solo homer that traveled down the right-field line.
Yankees starter Cam Schlittler, considered the front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, exited in the fifth inning after allowing six hits and recording only two strikeouts.
Once again, however, the defense behind him failed to provide the necessary support.
With runners on second and third and nobody out, the Yankees’ infielders moved in to try to prevent a run at the plate. Every infielder came forward—except Chisholm, who remained roughly seven feet off the infield grass.
Cam Schlittler, the Yankees’ best pitcher, surrendered four runs on six hits on Monday
Two solo home runs for Ben Rice were nothing more than window dressing for the Yankees
Hicks sent a slow ground ball toward Chisholm. Had the second baseman been positioned closer to the grass, he might at least have thrown to first while Jonathan Aranda stayed at third. Instead, Aranda broke for home, leaving Chisholm no realistic chance to make a play at the plate and giving Tampa Bay its second run.
The next at-bat, Chandler Simpson hit a ground ball toward Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard that bounced off his glove to score Junior Caminero to make it a 3-1 game. Official scorers initially ruled it a hit, then changed it to an error, only to then change it back to a fielder’s choice.
Lombard would commit another mistake when his routine throw to first pulled Garcia off the bag to bring Jonny DeLuca aboard.
DeLuca would steal second, putting him 90 feet away from Simpson. Both were in perfect position to score when Richie Palacios knocked a ball into the outfield to make it a 5-1 game.
Rice’s second home run in the eighth inning was nothing more than window dressing as Tampa Bay surrendered just four hits on the night.
‘Obviously a really rough night, to say the least, from us,’ Boone said. ‘We gotta get over it.’
‘We gotta get over it and we’re playing for our lives on Tuesday night.’
It seems the mental errors on the field transitioned to the manager. The Yankees don’t play on Tuesday. They play Wednesday.