That might have been the most joyless game of the season. Yeah, the Yankees lost 6-0 to the Cardinals, losses happen, but they didn’t even put up much of a fight. There was nothing to get excited about. No sustained offense, no tense moments, nothing. Yuck.
The 2014 Yankees In A Nutshell
The Cardinals’ four-run rally in the third inning was so perfectly 2014 Yankees. Hit to beat the shift? Check. Replacement starter giving up rockets? Also check. Bad infield defense? Double check. It was a microcosm of the season. Matt Carpenter led off with the ground ball single to where the shortstop would normally stand, then Matt Holliday (single) and Matt Adams (run scoring ground rule double) laced line drives. That was the start of the inning.
Because second and third with one out was not enough of a jam, the Yankees intentionally walked Yadier Molina to load the bases. Sure, why not. Allen Craig hit a weak ground ball to short, too weak to turn the double play, but the Bombers didn’t even get one out because Derek Jeter’s throw pulled Kelly Johnson off first base. The error went to Johnson because I guess they’re not allowed to give Jeter errors in his final season. Coming off the bag to make the catch and apply the tag was the routine part of that play, apparently.
Anyway, a run scored on Craig’s fielder’s choice and the bases remained loaded. Jhonny Peralta tapped an easy double play ball to Brian Roberts at second, but off course he completely whiffed and the ball went into the outfield. Two runs scored. It appeared Roberts was planning to scoop the ball, tag the runner as he went by, then throw to first, but he took his eye off the grounder and that was that. Four runs, two earned, two balls hit out of the infield on the fly. Yankees baseball.
Lifeless Offense
This was one of those games that makes you wonder how the Yankees ever scoren. They hit three balls hard all night. Three. Brian McCann doubled in the second inning, Roberts doubled in the fifth inning, and Brett Gardner singled in the sixth inning. That’s it. Their two other hits (singles by Brendan Ryan and Jacoby Ellsbury) were well-placed ground balls. Noted non-ground ball pitcher Lance Lynn somehow got 16 ground ball outs during his stress free complete game shutout. He walked more batters (three) than he struck out (two). That’s always fun.
The top four spots in the Yankees lineup generated all of their offense, relatively speaking, of course. Gardner, Jeter, Ellsbury, and McCann went a combined 3-for-13 with three walks while the rest of the lineup went 2-for-18. With both Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran banged out, the lineup is very short. Yangervis Solarte has cooled off and Alfonso Soriano just looks done. Like done done. I know he’s typically a slow starter and notorious second half hitter, but man. The life in his bat isn’t there anymore. Anyway, the Yankees stunk offensively.
Leftovers
Obviously his defense betrayed him, but otherwise Phelps was okay in front of his family back home. He allowed five runs (three earned) in six innings while striking out five. The only run he allowed outside of that hilarious third inning was a solo homer by Craig, which deflected off a leaping Soriano’s glove. Was it a great start? No. It wasn’t a disaster though. With a competent defense he probably holds the Cardinals to three runs.
Alfredo Aceves was the only reliever to pitch, so the rest of the bullpen got a much-needed night off. Aceves allowed a solo homer to Holliday in his two innings of work, and he has now allowed nine runs and four homers in his last ten innings of work. He’s awful, yes, but I think there is some value in having a “who the hell cares?” veteran long man Joe Girardi can run into the ground in games like this.
It won’t make any highlight shows because there was no fancy dive, but Ellsbury made an outstanding running catch to rob Carpenter of extra bases in the first inning. It was a rocket over Ellsbury’s head, but he tracked it down and caught it on the warning track while running full speed. Outstanding catch.
Box Score, WPA Graph & Standings
For the box score and video highlights, head over to MLB.com. FanGraphs has some other stats and the updated standings are at ESPN. The Blue Jays are going to run away with the AL East if someone doesn’t stop them soon.
Source: FanGraphs
Up Next
The Yankees and Cardinals will play the rubber game of this three-game set on Wednesday night as the nine-game road trip finally comes to an end. Hiroki Kuroda and Shelby Miller will be the pitching matchup.
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