BOSTON — Yankees’ Weekend Woes Continue
A second-half surge appeared to give the Yankees a chance to cap off a challenging weekend on a positive note. But, in a twist, it only prolonged their struggles.
Sonny Gray pitched brilliantly, recording a no-hitter through the eighth inning. However, Aroldis Chapman and the Red Sox defense faltered in the ninth. Even after the Yankees grabbed the lead in the tenth, they ultimately faced disappointment as the Red Sox clinched a 5-4 win, courtesy of Jalen Duran’s walk-off home run, marking the end of a four-game losing streak at Fenway Park.
“It was obviously a terrible weekend for us,” manager Aaron Boone stated.
Boone elaborated, calling it “one of the crappy moments of the season.” He emphasized the importance of moving past it quickly as they prepared for a homestand.
The Red Sox’s starting pitchers, including Gray, effectively dominated the Yankees over the weekend, throwing 26 2/3 innings and allowing just three runs. This series marked the first time since 2018 that the Yankees lost four straight games to their rivals, bringing their recent record to eight losses in eleven games.
Interestingly, before this series, the Red Sox hadn’t achieved a four-game winning streak all season.
When pressed on ensuring this situation doesn’t escalate, Boone reflected on facing adversity. “That’s what we’re doing, baby,” he replied. “You’ve got to love this. You’ve got to face it head-on. We have a really good team, but we didn’t play well this weekend. We need to do better.”
As the month ends, the Yankees feel the absence of star players Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Notably, Judge is on injured reserve, and his return remains unclear.
Initially, the Yankees coped well despite the injuries, relying on various players in the lineup. But lately, performance has waned, leading to just 17 hits in 128 at-bats over the last four games—a mere .133 batting average.
Amed Rosario, who ended Gray’s no-hitter with a single in the eighth and later drove in a run, noted the Red Sox’s accurate execution played a crucial role in their success.
Gray had a strong performance, dominating the Yankees early on, continuing the trend from previous games where Yankees batters struggled against impressive pitching.
Even when the Yankees took the lead in the tenth inning—despite Jazz Chisholm Jr. being ejected earlier—pitcher Cruz struggled to close out the game. His inability was highlighted by another error from right fielder Wylya Abreu.
“All great teams go through this,” Cruz acknowledged, referencing the team’s rough patch. “The best teams have to navigate through periods like this.”
Still, teams must be cautious not to let a poor stretch linger, especially as the Yankees prepare to kick off an important homestand.
Pitcher Carlos Rodon commented on the outcome, mentioning their opponents’ resilience: “They’re last in the division, but they’re still a solid club. They play good baseball.” He stressed the need to turn the page and focus on winning the next game.
