Amed Rosario’s afternoon helped sink the Yankees before the bats ever had a chance to matter.
In Saturday’s first game of a doubleheader against the Red Sox, the Yankees were already trailing by a run in the fourth inning when Rosario got caught in the middle of a messy play at the plate. Heliot Ramos ripped a double to deep center, Rosario was thrown out trying to score from second, and New York never really recovered from the mistake. One inning later, Rosario’s throwing error on a potential inning-ending double play opened the door for another Boston run, and the Red Sox rolled to a 6-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
Aaron Boone didn’t hide how he felt about it.
“On the heels of a night where we didn’t score and played really well, we played poorly,” Boone said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Boston left-hander Jake Bennett and three relievers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Red Sox evened the four-game series. The Yankees, meanwhile, were left with another flat offensive showing and another game where their mistakes carried the weight.
The key sequence started with Boston ahead 1-0 in the fourth. Rosario reached on an error with one out and moved to second on a passed ball before Ramos sent a ball soaring to deep center.
Ceddanne Rafaela misread it, turning the wrong way late and never recovering. Rosario had to hesitate, and by the time he was waved home by third base coach Luis Rojas, Boston still had a shot to get him.
“The Rojas send, I was okay with,” Boone said. “I think Rosie got stuck a little bit when it looked like (Rafaela) was going to scamper back and catch the ball, but (Rosario) got himself stuck in a position where his momentum wasn’t good. With one out, we’ve got to be in a better position to score more seamlessly there.
“It took two perfect throws (but) that’s a tough one in the moment.”
Rosario put it plainly afterward.
“Yeah, if I’m in a better position, I can definitely score there,” he said.
The Yankees didn’t score in the inning, with Cody Bellinger striking out for the third out. After that, they managed only one more baserunner the rest of the way, Spencer Jones’ two-out single in the fifth.
Rosario’s throw later in the game only deepened the frustration. With two outs and a runner on first in the Boston fifth, Andruw Monasterio lined a ball to second that Rosario caught. Trying to start a double play, he fired an errant throw to first and allowed the inning to continue.
“I think a good throw gives us a double play,” Rosario said.
Instead, Adley Rutschman reached second on the error, moved to third on a two-out infield single, and scored when Yankees starter Carlos Rodon threw a high slider that deflected off catcher Ali Sanchez’s glove and to the backstop. Sanchez grabbed the ball and threw to Rodon, who charged to the plate, but the runner beat the tag by getting his foot in just ahead.
Sanchez said the pitch was no surprise.
“I knew a slider was coming,” Sanchez said. “He just misfired, but I should catch the ball.”
Boone put the responsibility on the catcher as well.
“That’s a ball we’ve got to catch,” he said.
Bennett’s six shutout innings, followed by scoreless work from Tyron Guerrero, Garrett Whitlock and Jovani Moran, kept the Yankees bottled up all afternoon. It also left Boone dealing with a club that has slid back into offensive trouble after scoring 24 runs in Cody Bellinger’s first three games back from the injured list. Since then, the Yankees lost the rubber game to the Astros 5-1 on Thursday, won 1-0 Friday and then got blanked in Saturday’s opener.
Rosario did provide one defensive bright spot later, making a diving play after moving to third base, but the bat never came around. Re-signed last winter because he hits right-handed and has historically handled lefties well, Rosario entered Saturday’s opener 0-for-4 against left-handers on the day and carrying a .135 average in 135 plate appearances against southpaws this season.
“I feel good,” he said. “It’s just one of those where I’m probably not lucky enough.”
Boone’s message after the loss was direct.
“We need to play better, and part of that is offense,” he said.
And after the Yankees were shut out for the eighth time in 135 games, he didn’t soften that thought either.
“We have to be better than that,” Boone said.
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