Defensive miscues have plagued the New York Yankees in October the last few years, but Game 2 of the ALDS in Tampa Bay on Monday might have been their worst display yet.
New York committed four errors - a record-setting fifth was taken off the board late by the official scorer - during a 5-2 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field that dropped the Yankees into an 0-2 hole heading back to the Bronx.
The visitors finished the night with as many hits as errors.
"Obviously, a really rough night to say the least," Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters postgame.
"We gotta get over it. We've responded all year to difficult times, and we gotta do that again. We gotta get ourselves up off the mat. Tonight was just not good enough for us, and certainly not good enough to beat that club. (We're) playing for our lives (Wednesday) night."
Tampa Bay jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Yankees ace Cam Schlittler after New York committed three errors in the inning. Yandy Díaz reached base to lead off the frame thanks to a fielding error from third baseman Ryan McMahon. Díaz scored two batters later after second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. threw the ball away trying to convert an unlikely double play. Liam Hicks then reached base the following plate appearance after Austin Wells was charged with catcher's interference.
"I'd probably still throw it, honestly," Chisholm said when asked if he regretted the attempt to turn two. "I feel like I could've made an even better throw."
It wasn't just the plays that were scored errors that derailed the Yankees' night, as some questionable defensive positioning led to the Rays scoring their third run - the eventual game-winner. Despite New York playing with the infield in, Chisholm remained on the dirt at second and was unable to make a throw to the plate to cut down the runner, instead opting for the out at first.
"We were playing a step back in that situation with less speed at third," Boone explained.
Schlittler was limited to 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) off six hits and one walk while striking out two and managing only seven whiffs. It was just the second time in four months in which he allowed four runs or more.
"I'm not disappointed in our defense. I'm not disappointed in the offense. Really just disappointed in myself," Schlittler said. "That's baseball, and those things are gonna happen, but I've gotta be able to work through those. I wasn't able to do that today."
Boone defended his starter postgame, and said the team didn't do enough to help him out, while adding that the early miscues didn't allow the right-hander to get into a rhythm.
"Too many free baserunners," Boone said. "I thought Cam threw the ball well. They did a good job against him putting the ball in play. ... Cam did his job, we didn't give him a good enough chance to really do his job."
Ten teams have come back from down 0-2 in the division series, with the 2017 Yankees the last to do so. New York dropped the first two games in Cleveland before winning three straight to advance to the ALCS.
If the Yankees are to extend their season, their manager says it starts by taking care of the ball.
"We gotta play clean against this club," Boone said. "We gotta be better than that, obviously."
He added: "We can't play like that and expect to win."
