The New York Yankees had their second game of this three-game series last night and came away with another loss, their fifth straight loss to the rival Red Sox this season. The Yankees are now 5-13 against the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, the rivals that are ahead of them in the AL East. The Yankees now trail the East-leading Rays by six games. They lost the first game of the series 5-3 and last night’s game 4-2.
Montgomery goes six giving up 3 runs
Jordan Montgomery was on the mound last evening for the Yankees. He pitched a full six innings giving up three earned runs while walking two and striking out five Red Sox. He got through the first inning unscathed, but in the second inning, he loaded the bases. Then Kike Hernandez hit a single to bring in the first Red Sox run. Bobby Dalbec hit to right caught by Voit, but Devers scored. Next, Conner Wong singled, but Chavis ground out to end the inning. Boston Red Sox 2 Yankees 0.
Without the Yankee’s answering, Montgomery gave up another run in the third inning. Xander Bogaerts doubled to the center-field wall. Devers ground out to short. Upon review, he was safe. Renfroe reached on a single to center, and Bogaerts scored. Hernandez walked. Dalbec hit back to the track, but Gardner caught it to end the inning. Red Sox 3 Yankees 0. Montgomery did not allow a run in the final three innings of work, but the damage was done as the Yankees couldn’t score a run off of Nathan Eovaldi until the eighth inning.
Double plays, double trouble
At the beginning of June, the New York Yankees had more double plays (50) than any other baseball team. Hitting into double plays has plagued the Yankees all season long, and last night they hit into two more. Double plays and leaving men on base have cost the Yankees wins this season. DJ LeMahieu’s batting average is down this season due to the inordinate number of double plays he has hit into. In addition, getting the ball in the air has been a problem team-wide. Last night the Yankees left 9 men on base.
DJ LeMahieu had a good night
Without DJ LeMahieu, the New York Yankees would have been shut out by the Red Sox. He drove in both runs that the Yankees brought across home plate. He went four for five and had the Yankees’ lone home run. Last season LeMahieu was the baseball batting champ, hitting .364. He has not been able to come close to that this season. As of last night, he was hitting .271. His performance last night might be a sign that he is ready to break out.
With Gerrit Cole on the mound for today’s matinee, it has become a must-win situation to salvage at least one game of the series, before going back to the Stadium to face the Los Angeles Angels.