How Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton felt about just missing crucial home run catch

Yankees right fielder Giancarlo Stanton nearly made a game-saving catch on what ended up a deciding home run in a 5-2 loss to the Indians at Progressive Field on Sunday.

CLEVELAND — Just missed.

Giancarlo Stanton didn’t say whether he should have made the play. If he did, it would have been remarkable, maybe even game-saving.

But Stanton did feel he was right there when Michael Brantley‘s home run barely made it over the wall and ignited an Indians rally that led to a 5-2 Yankees loss at Progressive Field on Sunday.

“The replay was pretty quick, but I think I was pretty close. Within a foot, I guess,” Stanton said.

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Brantley’s home run off reliever Chad Green broke a 2-all tie. It hung in the air a while. Stanton had time to run back, plant his foot against the wall and leap.

He almost caught it. It appeared to have landed behind him.

Stanton was angry immediately afterward.

“The reaction is, that’s a big part of the game either way,” he said. “So, you don’t want that to happen with what, five outs or three outs left. Six outs left, whatever. I’m not sure.”

Green, who would give up three runs in the frame, said he wasn’t upset with the pitch Brantley hit out.

“Yeah, it was what I was trying to do. But the ball caught a little bit too much of the plate. He put a good swing on it. But I’ve got to make a better pitch,” Green said.

It was the second straight outing in which the usually reliable Green had given up more than a run.

“I’m just not making pitches at the right time,” he said. “I’ve put myself in some bad counts here and there and I just need to do a better job of taking it one pitch at a time and see what happens.”

Hitters might be jumping on his often impressive fastball, he said, and that he needs to throw more sliders.

“That’s just something I have to have more confidence in,” Green said. “That’s just something I’ve got to keep working on and keep them off my fastball.”