The game was tied at the end of the ninth inning, but the Yankees’ efforts cost them a run that could have decided the outcome.
If Anthony Volpe had run faster, the Yankees would have scored.
Or maybe if DJ LeMahieu had run slower, the Yankees would have scored.
The Yankees lost 5-3 in the 10th inning to the Red Sox in the Bronx on Friday, but it was a combination of general baserunning blunders.
In the bottom of the third inning, with the game still scoreless, Volpe was on third base and LeMahieu was on first base with one out.
Ben Rice hit a grounder to first baseman Romy Gonzalez, who stepped on the base and threw to second, where shortstop Sedan Rafaela was waiting.
If Volpe had scored before the double play was completed, the run would have been allowed.
But Volpe didn’t sprint, and was still just a few steps from home plate when Raffaella caught the ball.
“I’ve got to get better,” Volpe said, explaining that he thought the ground balls at the line were fouls.
If LeMahieu had slammed on the brakes and started to back away toward first base, Volpe might have been saved.
Perhaps with a second or two more, Volpe could have scored.
But LeMahieu simply redirected from the baseline and was tagged out by Raffaella just before Volpe touched home plate.
“A rundown is ideal in that situation,” said Boone, who spoke with Volpe about the play, which seemed especially ill-timed given the Yankees’ struggles.
“We always talk about finishing the play, but it’s because we [have] “We’ve got to do it,” Boone said.
The Yankees have lost 14 of 18 games and their pitching and offense have generally not lived up to expectations, but their effort level has come under scrutiny recently.
During Thursday’s loss, center fielder Trent Grisham kicked the ball away instead of hitting a routine single, allowing a Reds runner to advance an additional base.
Boone also discussed the mistake with Grisham.
Even before the costly double play on Friday, LeMahieu had barely reached first base on a fielder’s choice.
He hit a liner to center field, but second baseman Emmanuel Valdez batted it down and threw it back to Rafaela, who was double-clutching because he couldn’t get the ball out of his glove.
LeMahieu, who wasn’t sprinting, was still nearly double-stuck on the slowly unfolding play.
Hustle plays like this become even more important as the Yankees struggle to score and also struggle to prevent opponents from scoring.
“Just play it to the end,” Volpe said Boone told him.
