The New York Yankees went into last night’s game with the Athletics with the hope of taking the series and righting the ship after a loss in the Saturday matinee. But, unfortunately, it was not to be had as the Yankees lost their second game in a row. The final score was the Athletics 3 and the Yankees 1.
Yankee bats are nowhere to be found
Last night it seemed that the Yankees brought out a lineup that was losing games before the All-Star break. It looked all too familiar. Few hits, no home runs, errors committed, and bats that were so silent you could hear a pin drop if it wasn’t for the loud Athletics crowd at the Coliseum.
That being said, you have to give credit to Paul Blackburn for the A’s. He pitched masterfully, holding down the Yankee hitters, inducing ground out after ground out. It wasn’t until the sixth inning that the Yankees could get a man past first base. The Yankees when 0-4 with men in scoring position.
In the game, Gio Urshela, who had only committed 5 errors all season, had 2 last night in his fourth game returning from the IL.
Yankee hitters fail Montgomery again
If there were a poster boy for the pitcher with the worst luck, his name would be Jordan Montgomery. Last ninth was a microcosm of his entire season. Jordan Montgomery pitched six innings of one-run ball that should qualify him for a win, but the Yankee hitters could only muster up one hit for him, and it was a single.
Montgomery who is 5-5 with a respectable 3.52 ERA. His stats should be much better. The New York Yankees have won 15 of his starts, although he has only 5 wins. Of all Yankee pitchers, he has gotten the least run support during his outings.
Last night the Yankee’s closer situation was again evident. Chad Green was charged with the job, and he failed, giving up a two-run homer to pinch hitter Kemp, causing the Yankee loss.
Yankees lose ground against the Rays
In the Yankee’s second loss in as many days, It seemed last night that they fell back into their old ways. Not hitting, leaving men in scoring position, and committing errors. Normally losing a game, although not good, it’s no big deal. But two in a row, when the Yankees are fighting the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East, is a huge deal.
I’ve been saying for weeks that the New York Yankees can take the East, but the Tampa Bay Rays had to cooperate in that effort. But, unfortunately, they are not doing that, winning two games while the Yankees lost two. To begin the weekend that Yankees had won 13 consecutive games gaining on the Rays and shrinking to just four behind in the East. But not that has vanished, and the Yankees are back to six games out.
With September just days away, the Yankees only have 31 games to gain 6 on the Rays. Both teams have similar schedules for September, with neither having much of an advantage. The Yankees have some fluff teams, but they also face the Toronto Blue Jays seven times. The Rays face the Blue Jays six times and the Astros for three games. If the Yankees can continue to win at a good clip, the entire season my come down to the last three games with the Rays at Yankee Stadium.