The New York Yankees headed into the All-Star break on a slide, losing four of their last five games. At a glance, a three-game series in Denver against the last-place Colorado Rockies seemed like a great opportunity to get the second half started on a good note. It did not happen that way.
New York’s bats fell silent after the first inning of Friday’s series opener and the Yankees fell 7-2. They evened the series with a 6-3 win on Saturday. Colorado’s C.J. Cron hit an eighth-inning grand slam to put the Rockies up 5-3. The Yankees, though, rallied back to tie the game in the ninth. In the 11th, New York scored a pair of runs to go up 7-5. But things got bad for the visitors in the bottom half of the 11th.
The Yankee lead evaporated quickly, as Nolan Jones launched the second pitch he saw from Nick Ramirez over the wall to tie the game.
Yankees and Rockies are having a wild one. Yankees scored two in the top of the 11th and seemed to have the game under control…
…Then Nolan Jones did this. pic.twitter.com/AtYt0ftpI9
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 16, 2023
After Ramirez retired the next two hitters, Aaron Boone went back to the bullpen, calling on Ron Marinaccio to get the last out. It never happened.
Marinaccio was down 1-0 before he ever threw a pitch, getting called for a pitch clock violation. Then, after his first actual pitch also missed the zone, he challenged Alan Trejo, who had not hit a home run all season. Trejo drilled Marinaccio’s 2-0 pitch for a walk-off homer.
Alan Trejo picked a great time for his first homer of the year. He takes Ron Marinaccio deep to end the game.
Yankees drop 2 of 3 in Denver. pic.twitter.com/6SrOR1OZoO
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 16, 2023
The loss moved the Yankees back into a share of last place in the American League East with the Boston Red Sox (who presently own the tiebreaker.)
The New York Yankees are LAST place in the AL East 😳 pic.twitter.com/MnPSPr39RO
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) July 16, 2023
The Yankees rarely get a lot of sympathy when they lose and this was no different.
Yankees Players: Shocked
Yankees Coaches: Shocked
Yankees Front Office: Shocked
Rockies Fans: Shocked
Yankees Fans: Expected— Talkin’ Jake (@TalkinJake) July 16, 2023
The Yankees are a dumpster fire. https://t.co/8aPaErpI53
— Mike Straw of Insider-Gaming.com (@MikeStrawMedia) July 16, 2023
The Yankees have now lost a series to the
– White Sox (40-55)
– Cardinals (40-53)
– Cubs (43-49)
– Rockies (35-58)In the last 40 days. I do wonder if Hal Steinbrenner understands why the fans are upset now
— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) July 16, 2023
Rays Payroll: $76.8M
Orioles Payroll: $67.7M
Toronto Payroll: $213M
Boston Payroll: $180.8M
Yankees Payroll: $279.4MSpending doesn't = success pic.twitter.com/Nv3BT35vPp
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) July 16, 2023
Next up for the Yankees is a trip to Anaheim for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
