The rain caused major delays at Yankee Stadium before Sunday’s game, but for a team that stepped onto the field buzzing with excitement, the weather wasn’t the main issue of the day.
Ultimately, the Yankees squandered a 7-6 lead to the Marlins, with a shaky bullpen collapsing in the eighth inning while their offense seemed to vanish after the third.
Facing a three-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees staged a mini-rally, thanks in part to walks drawn by Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice.
After Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a double to right-center, narrowing the gap to just one run.
Then, after Austin Wells received an intentional walk, JC Escala pinch-hit for Jose Caballero but struck out, sealing the Yankees’ fate.
The loss was unexpected, though perhaps not entirely surprising.
Even with the Yankees winning eight of their first nine games and riding a four-game winning streak, questions lingered.
One significant concern was the pitching staff, which featured several pitchers with unimpressive track records.
Worryingly, the lack of production from the lower half of the batting order was evident throughout the game.
Both issues came to light in a noticeable way.
Jake Bird and Ryan Yarbrough faltered in that crucial eighth inning, but they certainly weren’t the only ones responsible.
Things had started promisingly, with Rice hitting a three-run homer in the first inning, keeping Max Fried from giving up his first run of the season.
This homer marked Rice’s third in just four games.
The ball traveled an impressive 410 feet to the second deck, launched off Pete Fairbanks, who had rushed back to the game after a personal matter.
Fairbanks struggled early, and once he was out, the Yankees’ offense struggled to respond, a plan that backfired.
Despite a few decent moments, including an unearned run in the third off Miami’s scheduled starter, Chris Paddack, the team seemed to lose steam.
Miami picked up a run in the fourth, catching the Yankees off guard.
Fried had initially retired the first two batters, but a walk to Norby opened the floodgates, and Edwards doubled him home.
The Marlins kept pushing in the sixth with strong hits, creating a tense moment.
Even with a bit of drama involving a missed call at home plate that was overturned, the Yankees managed to cling to their lead, thanks to Wells tagging a runner out at the plate.
Fernando Cruz took over for Fried in the seventh, finishing strong, but that’s when the tides shifted for the Yankees.
With Bednar overworked from Saturday’s game, Bird entered under pressure in the eighth. However, walks and hits allowed by him, followed by Yarbrough’s pitching, led to a tough loss, leaving the Yankees down by three after previously being in the game.
