Gleyber Torres' HR not enough of a spark for Yankees in walk-off loss to Mets
The Yankees' Gleyber Torres hits a two-run home run off Mets pitcher David Peterson to tie the score at 2-2 in an MLB game at Citi Field on Wednesday, Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Asked how his team was handling its first prolonged slump of the season, Aaron Boone gave a wry smile.
“We’re good,” the fifth-year manager said, leaving it there.
Asked the obvious follow-up question – why? – Boone continued.
“I feel like I know the character in that room and know how we’re reacting,” he said. “Our guys want to win every game, but they also understand that the inevitable rough patch (comes during every season), and we know we’re in a very good position (in the division). We think we’re a very good team and we feel like we’re equipped to handle it.”
Despite Gleyber Torres’ game-tying two-run homer in the eighth that sent a surge through the visiting dugout at Citi Field, the Yankees didn’t handle things nearly well enough Wednesday night, falling 3-2 on Starling Marte’s walk-off RBI single against Wandy Peralta.
Before the bottom of the ninth, it seemed as if Torres’ blast just might be the kind of hit to spark the Yankees from their recent difficulties, which saw them fall to 10-12 in the month of July.
With Max Scherzer mercifully out of the game after seven scoreless innings, Torres hit a first-pitch sinker from lefty David Peterson to right-center, his 16th homer to tie it 2-2. Anthony Rizzo worked a four-pitch walk to lead off the inning.
But prior to the Torres blast, it had been an endless parade of frustration for the Yankees at the plate.
Though producing their share of hard contact against Scherzer, the Yankees’ issues with runners in scoring position continued. They were 0-for-7 with RISP with eight stranded against the righthander.
Domingo German, hit hard in his first start of the season last Thursday in Houston when he allowed five runs and six hits in three innings, was far better Wednesday night. The 29-year-old allowed two runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings in which he walked two and struck out seven.
The Mets struck in the second when Pete Alonso tore into a 1-and-1 curveball and sent it out to left, his 26th homer making it 1-0.
The Yankees got their first hit in the third – and their first runner in scoring position. Aaron Hicks blooped one to center and LeMahieu moved him to third with a sharp single to left. That brought up Aaron Judge, who homered off Scherzer, then with the Nationals, in the 2018 All-Star Game in Washington. But this was not Judge’s night. He fell behind 1-and-2 before going down swinging at a 2-and-2 slider, the first of three straight strikeouts for the outfielder in his 0-for-5, three strikeout night.
The Mets got to German again in the bottom of the inning.
Tomas Nido led off with a double and, after German retired Brandon Nimmo and Marte, Lindor flared a 2-and-2 curveball to right, the RBI single making it 2-0.
Scherzer again set down the Yankees in order in the fourth – though there was some solid shots as Rizzo flied to the track in center and Escobar made a terrific leaping catch at third on a Torres liner.
The Yankees, after stranding two in the fifth, put two more on in the sixth. Rizzo was hit by a pitch a league-lead tying 16th time with one out and went to third when Carpenter stung a single down the rightfield line. Donaldson, however, trickled one back to Scherzer for the third out.
King has surgery
King, who suffered a right elbow fracture during Friday’s outing at Baltimore, underwent surgery Tuesday morning in New York.
“I think everything went according to plan,” Boone said.
Though it was initially thought King avoided the kind of damage to the elbow ligament that would require Tommy John surgery – and, thus, wiping the pitcher’s entire 2023 season out as opposed to potentially being ready for spring training with no additional surgery – Boone said the club will have to wait a bit to be able to determine that for sure.
“I think in 8-to-10 weeks or so, when this heals, they’ll revisit what they think from a ligament standpoint,” Boone said. “I think there’s differing opinions there (with doctors) and they want to compare it to old things and see where it is as this heals. I don’t know all the intricacies of it, but I think they’ll have a better idea with some more time.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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