An overturned call at the plate in the eighth inning led to the latest loss in what has become the New York Yankees’ worst season in decades.
The Yankees on Sunday extended their losing streak to eight games for the first time in 28 years, allowing Justin Turner’s ninth-inning go-ahead double in a 6-5 defeat to the Boston Red Sox.
“We got to be unbelievable the rest of the way,” manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees dropped to 60-64 and fell nine games behind Seattle for the American League’s last wild-card spot.
Photo: AFP
New York appeared to break a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning when Isiah Kiner-Falefa scored from first on rookie Anthony Volpe’s single. Plate umpire Junior Valentine signaled safe, ruling Kiner-Falefa’s left foot got in ahead of Connor Wong’s tag, but the call was reversed in a video review, which also upheld the catcher did not block the plate.
“I got the go sign, went in there,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I didn’t feel like I had a lane. I think the rule is if you’re catcher and you’ve over the foul line it’s considered blocking the bag right there. The ball did beat me, but I didn’t feel like they had enough to overturn it.”
Kiner-Falefa took off from first right before Volpe made contact. He raced home after left fielder Rob Refsnyder slipped before making the throw to shortstop Trevor Story.
“From the get-go I thought he was out,” said Boston manager Alex Cora, who had been ejected two inning earlier for arguing a called third strike and watched the key play from the clubhouse. “I was wondering why Junior was waiting. He waited, waited to call him safe and I was like: ‘What is he doing.’”
Swept in consecutive series by Atlanta and Boston, the Yankees have lost eight straight for the first time since Aug. 19 to 26, 1995, when Buck Showalter’s final team fell to 53-58 before finishing 26-7 to get a wild-card spot.
New York, in danger of ending their streak of 30 consecutive winning seasons, are 24-39 since June 4 — the day after slugger Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his big toe at Dodger Stadium.
“Every loss at this point is tough,” Volpe said.
Turner had four RBIs for Boston, who are 8-1 against the Yankees this year and have won seven in a row against New York.
“They just got the better of us,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I feel like they’re swinging the bats well. They have a good game plan pitching. They’re just better than us right now.”
With the score at 5-5, Pablo Reyes singled off Clay Holmes (4-4) leading off the ninth and stole second, and Alex Verdugo walked. Turner doubled to the right-field warning track on a sinker.
“He’s a good hitter,” Cora said. “He’s a great a leader and I’m glad he’s playing for us.”
It was Turner’s first hit this season that gave the Red Sox a lead in the ninth or later, and the 16th of his career. Turner is hitting .372 with runners in scoring position in his first year with Boston following a decade with the Dodgers, and is batting .395 against the Yankees.
“That had a real playoff feel, especially in those last three innings the back and forth, and the fans were into it,” Turner said. “It was good to get that win.”
Elsewhere, the Nationals pipped the Phillies 4-3, the Mariners edged the Astros 7-6, the Brewers beat the Rangers 6-2, the Twins sank the Pirates 2-0, the Blue Jays routed the Reds 10-3 and the Giants downed the Braves 4-3.
The Cubs defeated the Royals 4-3, the Orioles thrashed the Athletics 12-1, the Tigers tamed the Guardians 4-1, the Cardinals crushed the Mets 7-3 and the White Sox spanked the Rockies 10-5.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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