MINNEAPOLIS — The Yankees completed a 12-game gauntlet towards playoff contenders late Sunday night time after which flew right here to face what has been their perennial punching bag, even once they haven't been one of many worst groups within the league.
Basic entice sport.
Whether or not or not the Yankees had been feeling an emotional and/or bodily letdown, they performed prefer it as they mustered simply two hits and their bullpen blew open one other sport late in a 7-0 loss to the Twins on Monday night time at Goal Subject.
The dud inched the Yankees (83-67) nearer to bowing out of the division race, now trailing the Blue Jays (who personal the head-to-head tiebreaker) by 5 video games with 12 to play.
Whereas they're nonetheless mathematically alive, the wild card is trying extra reasonable, as they now lead the Crimson Sox by one sport for the highest spot.
Coming into Monday, the Yankees had been 109-43 towards the Twins (66-84) since 2002, the majors' finest report by any workforce versus an opponent in its personal league throughout that span. In the event you add within the postseason, the Yankees had been 125-45 towards the Twins in that point.
That made this a part of the schedule appear like a gentle touchdown spot after going 7-5 towards the Astros, Blue Jays, Tigers and Crimson Sox.
However Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson, a former Mets prospect, proved to be an excessive amount of for them to deal with as he racked up a career-high 11 strikeouts throughout six innings. It got here on the heels of Crimson Sox lefty Garrett Crochet punching out 12 Yankees on Sunday.
Carlos Rodón, probably the most well-rested Yankee after flying right here forward of the workforce on Sunday whereas the remainder of his teammates acquired to their lodges in the course of the night time, was stable throughout six innings of two-run ball, however didn't get a lot assist from his batting lineup or fielders.
Then Luke Weaver entered for the seventh and primarily ended any likelihood of the Yankees coming again.
He acquired tagged for 5 runs on three hits and two walks whereas recording only one out, the fourth time in his previous six appearances he has given up not less than one run. The punishing blow on this one was Austin Martin's bases-clearing double — after Weaver acquired forward 0-2, then fell to 3-2 — that put the Twins forward 6-0.
José Caballero, beginning his sixth straight sport at shortstop, had a tricky night time, making a pair of misplays within the subject and in addition getting picked off after doubling with one out within the fifth inning.
Giancarlo Stanton, in the meantime, struck out in all 4 at-bats and is batting 6-for-51 (.118) with three residence runs and 27 strikeouts over his previous 15 video games.
Rodón cruised by way of the primary two innings earlier than his protection let him down within the third. He gave up a leadoff double to Jhonny Pereda earlier than No. 9 hitter Edouard Julien ripped a floor ball up the center. Caballero was shaded that method and acquired his glove on the ball behind the bag, however not cleanly sufficient because it acquired previous him. Caballero tried to get better and fireplace to first, but it surely was not in time to nab Julien, placing runners on the corners.
After Rodón struck out Byron Buxton for the primary out, Martin slashed a possible double play ball to shortstop. Caballero fielded it cleanly, however then took a couple of steps to second base earlier than flipping to Jazz Chisholm Jr. The hesitation, together with a bouncing throw to first from Chisholm, allowed Martin to achieve safely and drive within the first Twins run.
Rodón's first pitch of the fifth inning was a 92 mph fastball down the center to Brooks Lee, who drilled it simply over the left subject wall for a house run that made it a 2-0 sport.
At one level, Woods Richardson struck out 5 straight Yankees — who had been dissatisfied with the strike zone for a lot of the night time — earlier than Caballero roped a double to left subject with one out within the fifth. However he was shortly eradicated, taking too large of a lead off second base and getting picked off for the second out with Austin Wells on the plate.
