Seattle Shakes Yankees as They Fall Short of a Sweep
Seattle, WA – The New York Yankees faced a disappointing ending to their series against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon, dropping the finale game with a score of 3-2. Just less than 24 hours after celebrating a hard-fought postseason berth, the Yankees struggled to follow up with a victory.
Rocky Start for Schmidt and the Yankees
Back on the diamond for the series finale, things didn’t kick off quite as hoped for the Yankees. They had a golden opportunity to take an early lead with two runners aboard and just one out. But a walk and an error by Mariners’ third baseman Josh Rojas – who mishandled a grounder off the bat of superstar Aaron Judge – set the stage for some unfortunate events to unfold.
Yankees’ starter Clarke Schmidt faced an uphill battle from the get-go. He loaded the bases with a walk and two singles, the latter being a bunt hit by Luke Raley. Even after getting Justin Turner to pop out, it wasn’t smooth sailing. Rookie outfielder Jasson Dominguez dropped a fly ball in left field, allowing a run to cross the plate and keeping the bases loaded. The situation escalated quickly – Jorge Polanco hit a sacrifice fly to bring in another run, followed by a single from J.P. Crawford that brought the tally to 3-0. Though two of these runs were ruled unearned, it didn’t matter much to the Yankees as Schmidt struggled through an exhausting first inning that took him 26 pitches to finish.
Yankees Fumble Opportunities
Dominguez attempted to redeem himself in the second inning with a leadoff double, but drama unfolded when he pushed his luck trying to score on Anthony Volpe’s single to Raley in right. Raley was quick on his feet and fired a strike to the plate, tagging out a sliding Dominguez and ending the inning. It was a tough break for the teenager trying to make up for his earlier error.
It wasn’t until the third inning that the Yankees finally put some runs on the board. Jazz Chisholm Jr. cranked a two-run homer off Mariners’ righty Logan Gilbert, closing the gap to 3-2. But despite the upbeat energy, the Yankees couldn’t seem to capitalize on their chances. They got the first two batters on in the fourth, but once again could not bring them across home plate, eventually finishing the game with an abysmal 1-for-12 performance with runners in scoring position.
Injury Scares and Missed Chances
As for Schmidt, he did manage to settle in, finishing with five innings and allowing three runs (only one earned) while striking out seven batters. Unfortunately, the Yankees’ bullpen had its share of drama too; Jake Cousins exited the game in the sixth inning due to right pec tightness, putting his solid season on the line as a reliable reliever with a 2.37 ERA.
Adding a sprinkle of tension, the Yankees were also holding their breath over an injury to Juan Soto, who crashed into the right field wall while making a catch. Thankfully, he stayed in the game, but finished the day with a rather quiet 0-for-3 record.
Future Challenges Ahead
Despite some bright spots, like Dominguez’s 2-for-4 day, the Yankees came up short when it mattered the most. With their sights set on a division lead that shrank to just four games after the Baltimore Orioles snagged a win over the San Francisco Giants, New York’s magic number now stands at six.
Looking ahead, the Yankees will finish their last road trip of the regular season in Oakland against the Athletics, starting Friday night. The first pitch is slated for 9:40 p.m., with Gerrit Cole taking the mound for New York. Here’s hoping they’ll find more success on this new venture!
