Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees Bullpen Hadn't Faltered Like This All Season Long

New York's 'pen couldn't hang on to two separate leads in the final few frames of an extra-innings loss to the Red Sox.

Max Goodman

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BOSTON — Entering play on Saturday, the Yankees were 48-0 when leading after the seventh inning this season.

That in mind, the Yankees had to feel pretty good about their chances at Fenway Park on Saturday night, even as they hung to a slim, one-run lead in the eighth. That comfort was amplified when closer Clay Holmes jogged in from the bullpen to try and secure a four-out save.

Not only did their best reliever squander that late lead shortly after entering the game, but New York couldn't hold on after jumping in front in extra innings either. Left fielder Alex Verdugo was the hero both times for Boston, tying the game with an RBI single in the eighth before smacking a walk-off two-run single off lefty Wandy Peralta in the 10th, giving the Sox a 6-5 victory.

"Credit to the Boston hitters, they had really good at-bats, didn't really try to do too much," Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo said after the loss. "We lean on our bullpen, our team is built on pitching and defense. ... We just gotta bounce back tomorrow."

Saturday night was just the third time all year that the Yankees have lost when scoring five-plus runs. It's only their second loss in extra innings this season as well, their fourth walk-off loss.

In the eighth, Holmes was summoned from the 'pen after right-hander Michael King gave up a two-out double. The two-base hit from J.D. Martinez was the only batter that reached against King, who retired the other six he faced.

Rather than shutting the rally down, Holmes ran into trouble right away. The closer walked Xander Bogaerts before missing badly on an 0-2 sinker, allowing Verdugo to slap a ground ball to the left side of the infield. 

With nobody at shortstop, due to the shift, the grounder dribbled all the way to Aaron Hicks in left field, allowing pinch runner Jeter Downs to score.

"We don't shift, that's a routine play," Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery said. "Verdugo just hit it where we weren't. Obviously he might have been trying to do that. Good piece of hitting if he was."

Holmes retired the side in the ninth to send the game to extra innings, but the run scored—even if it was charged to King—is still a rarity. The right-hander has only given up two earned runs all year, posting an 0.46 ERA in 39.1 innings pitched this year.

The Yankees pushed across two runs in the top of the 10th. Aaron Judge and Rizzo ripped RBI doubles, giving New York a 5-3 lead. That's when Peralta came in from the 'pen, looking for his second save of the year.

With one out, Downs poked an RBI single—his first MLB hit—through the right side to cut the deficit to one. After failing to turn two on a grounder to Josh Donaldson at third base—the sure-handed defender bobbled the transfer, forced to settle for one out at first instead of a pair—Peralta gave up the walk-off single, a line drive into right from Verdugo.

"Feels terrible," Peralta said through the team's interpreter. "For us, when we go in the game, we want to do the best we can out there. We want to battle and do our job. Today, that wasn't the case. Just a bad feeling."

Peralta added that his plan was to attack inside against Verdugo, capitalizing on the left-on-left matchup. Falling behind 2-0, he left a sinker over the middle in the outfielder's wheelhouse.

A loss like this hurts, but the Yankees can take solace in the fact that this bullpen has been practically unstoppable all year, getting production from everybody even when some of their high-leverage arms have been sidelined due to injury. Again, Saturday was the first time all season that New York's 'pen faltered after the team took a lead into the eighth inning.

Even after giving up three earned runs on Saturday night, the Yankees' bullpen still has the second-best ERA in the Majors (2.68). Only the Astros have a better bullpen ERA this year (2.62).

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Yankees for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. Goodman has been on the Yankees beat for three seasons. He is also the publisher of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Jets site, Jets Country. Before starting Inside The Pinstripes, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. At school, Goodman was an anchor and reporter with NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. While at Northwestern, Goodman interned with MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman. You can connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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