Monday’s game for the New York Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays is one that fans would like to forget.
The Yankees only lost 5-4, but it came in the ugliest way possible. Tampa Bay Rays catcher Travis D’Arnaud went 3-for-3 with three home runs, driving in all five runs for the Rays.
He hit solo homers that looked almost identical in the first and the third, then hit a three run bomb off of Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth, down to the Rays final strike.
Monday alone was a third of D’Arnaud’s home runs of the season. It isn’t like he is a power hitter, or much of a hitter at all.
And, Chapman blowing the save wasn’t pretty. He hasn’t pitched well over the last few weeks, and it was bound to happen to him. But, no closer is perfect by any means.
It sucks that Tuesday’s game ended like it did, but all the Yankees can do now is refocus. They still have a five game lead, and each win extends the lead by a game during this series. They also can’t worry about what Boston is doing. If they continue to play their own game, they will be fine and there is no reason to worry about one sour loss.