The Yankees came out on the short end of a pitcher’s duel as they lost 1-0 to the Mariners in Seattle on Wednesday night.
Takeaways
– Gleyber Torres was all over this game early especially on the defensive end. He made two slick and nifty plays to steal singles and get the final out of the second and third innings. The third inning was especially crucial with the Mariners having men on the corners with two outs.
He also was solid at the plate, getting the Yankees’ first hit against a starter George Kirby in the third and in his third at-bat in the sixth with a man on second, scalded a liner to the left side of the field but shortstop JP Crawford caught the liner to end the threat. He finished 1-for-4.
– Clarke Schmidt was really good on Wednesday night, getting the Mariners to swing at sliders and cutters out of the zone. He scattered baserunners and pitched into the sixth inning for just the third time this season. After getting the first two outs of the sixth, Julio Rodriguez hit an opposite-field single to bring out Aaron Boone to have Wandy Peralta take care of the lefty Jarred Kelenic.
Peralta got the final out of the inning to finish Schmidt’s night on a positive note. Schmidt went 5.2 innings on 84 pitches (59 strikes), scattered three hits, one walk and struck out seven Mariners. In his last three starts, Schmidt has given up a total of three runs in 15.2 innings and lowered his ERA from 5.58 to 5.01.
– On the opposite side was Kirby who really dominated the Yankee lineup. He scattered three batters and only had one runner in scoring position all game. The Rye, NY native pitched eight scoreless innings while giving up just three hits and striking out seven.
– Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who started in centerfield, went 0-for-4 but almost drove a two-run shot over the left-field wall in the seventh inning but Rodriguez tracked it down at the wall. It would have been a home run at the Angels, Cubs, Dodgers and Nationals’ stadiums.
Aaron Judge, DHing on this night, also lofted a deep fly ball in the seventh inning that was caught at the warning track. He finished 0-for-3 and was intentionally walked in the ninth with two outs and no one on.
– In relief of Schmidt, the Yankees bullpen was stellar. Peralta gave up just one hit and struck out three in two innings of work. Clay Holmes got the final out of the eighth inning. and pitched a clean ninth to send the game to extra innings still scoreless.
Ron Marinaccio started the 10th and gave up a leadoff single to Cal Raleigh that scored the ghost runner and gave the Mariners the 1-0 win.
– In the 10th, Crawford booted a grounder from DJ LeMahieu to lead off, but IKF popped out to the third baseman for the first out. Jake Bauers walked to load the bases for Anthony Volpe who went into the at-bat 0-for-3. Volpe grounded to Eugenio Suarez who got Oswaldo Cabrera — the ghost runner — at home. Franchy Cordero pinch-hit for Kyle Higashioka — who was 1-for-3 — and struck out on a 3-2 sinker on the inside part of the zone.
Prior to the game, Boone said Anthony Rizzo was available off the bench, but was seen in a hoodie in the dugout and did not come up at all.
What’s Next
The Yankees have an off day Thursday before starting a three-game series against the Dodgers on Friday night in Los Angeles. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 pm.
Luis Severino (0-0, 1.59 ERA) will be on the mound for the Yankees as he goes up against LHP Clayton Kershaw (6-4, 3.32 ERA).